Keeping One For the Team
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Joel Embiid was in the news again last week and for all the wrong reasons. After it was reported by ESPN that in a team meeting 76ers 2024 All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey told Embiid he was hurting the team by not consistently being on time, there were many calling for the 76ers to trade the seven-time All-Star.
Many are tired of Embiid because of the fact that he frequently appears out of shape.
He has also had an injury-plagued career, especially during the playoffs, but it’s hard to blame Embiid for that. He is listed as 7-foot and 285 pounds and may be bigger on both fronts.
Embiid plays a reckless style where he falls a lot on the ground.
Injuries will happen with that style of play, although the fact that he is often out of shape doesn’t help matters.
This year he only appeared in four of the first 16 games due to what the team labels ‘left knee soreness.’
This reporter is not a doctor and this is only one person’s guess, but it seems that the knee is more troublesome than the Sixers are leading on.
He just hasn’t moved well even in his better games.
Even during a 35-point effort in a loss at Memphis, where Embiid shot 14-for-14 from the foul line, he looked like he was laboring.
We haven’t come close to seeing the real Embiid. We also understand that it is annoying that one of the best players on the team has to be called out by a teammate for being late and setting a bad example.
That all said, it would be a mistake to trade Embiid.
First, one has to ask how much the Sixers could get for him. If it is mainly draft choices, then it would not be advisable.
Trades of superstars rarely work out for the team unloading that player. From Wilt Chamberlain to Charles Barkley, the Sixers have come out on the short end of the superstar trades.
The only teams that would trade for Embiid are those who feel they can win an NBA championship. Getting draft choices from a team that will likely be picking in the 20s or lower, won’t help the Sixers rebuild (although they did draft Maxey at No. 21 and this year’s top rookie Jared McCain at No. 16). Neither of them is a big man. While the center position has been diminished over the years, it is still a necessity to have a strong center or at least a dominating power forward.
The other thing that has to be pointed out is how poorly the Sixers play when Embiid is out.
Last year he played 39 games, and the Sixers were 31-8.
The Sixers were 16-27 without Embiid.
This year the Sixers haven’t played well with or without Embiid. They were 0-4 in the four games he had played entering this week and 3-9 without him.
There is always the chance that Embiid can be healthy and carry a team in the playoffs. We know it hasn’t really happened yet, but there is that potential.
There are many who feel the Sixers will never win big with Embiid. That could be the case, but they will win even less without him.
Plus, he just signed a massive contract extension. According to Spotrac, he just signed a three-year, $192 million extension.
Even with today’s massive NBA salaries, that one would be difficult to trade.
The Sixers have to hope that Embiid gets healthy and shows more of the flashes that he did against Memphis.
He hasn’t been the most reliable player, but the Sixers have to hope that his fortunes (and attitude) change. They are in this too deeply with him, and at this point, their best decision is to consider riding this out.
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Author: Marc Narducci
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