Without doubt, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is one of the NBA’s top players (when he is not injured). Unfortunately, he has dealt with many injuries in his career, and the team must get ready for the truth that he will miss games.
76ers general manager Daryl Morey discussed the offseason and specifically Embiid:
“I feel like I could have done a better job with the players so that we were in a better position to win without him,” Morey said. “That said, we do spend 90 percent of the time figuring out how to win the title with him. It can’t be a big focus, how we play without him. We know that team can’t win a championship. It’s really, how do we manage through it better? I felt like, on me, the depth wasn’t quite there when he was out to win at the level we wanted to win at.”
Embiid’s Impact
Following his win of the 2022-23 NBA Most Valuable Player Award, Embiid arguably had his best season, averaging 34.7 points, 11 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 1.2 steals and 1.7 blocks per game. He also shot well, making 52.9% of his field goals, 38.8% of his 3-pointers and 88.3% of his foul shots. However, he only played in 39 games.
It’s clear that the 76ers need Embiid to win a championship. What’s not as clear is how significant it is for them when he’s not playing. In 2023-24, the 76ers had a 31-8 record with Embiid and 16-27 without him. For context, if they played at that 31-8 pace all season (.794 winning percentage), they would have won roughly 65 games, surpassing the Boston Celtics for first place in the Eastern Conference.
Building Around Embiid
Morey captured it best when he joked “We’re not going to have continuity.” It is expected that the 76ers will match any deal for restricted free agent Tyrese Maxey, with a maximum deal of $205 million.
The 76ers have the 16th pick in the 2024 NBA Draft and aim to acquire a player who can immediately contribute, adding depth to the bench. However, there are concerns that the upcoming draft doesn’t have many star players. Kevin O’Connell of The Ringer has the 76ers selecting Isaiah Collier, the 6-foot-4 point guard from USC.
After Embiid and Maxey, the 76ers will have up to $65 million to spend in free agency. They’ve been rumored to be interested in Jimmy Butler and Paul George. The Associated Press also suggested Pascal Siakam and DeMar DeRozan as good fits, having previously played under Nick Nurse.
The Elephant in the Room
The 2024 Olympics are approaching, and Embiid has been chosen to play for USA Basketball in France this summer. While players always want to play, this is a situation that has to make 76ers fans uneasy. Morey is publicly supporting Embiid, saying “It’s a dream of his to represent the United States in the Olympics. I think it’s important to support the dreams of your best player.”
Older individuals who criticize load management may approve of Embiid's decision to compete with the best players in the world, continuing to improve his skills in high-stakes games against top competitors. On the other hand, Embiid has played an average of 54 games per regular season in his career. If he has a limited number of games to play, 76ers fans would have to insist he saves them for the 2025 NBA Playoffs.
