The Philadelphia 76ers enter the new season with the same concerns. Can Joel Embiid manage to stay healthy for an entire campaign? He’s coming off a second knee surgery in April after what turned out to be only a 19-game season. On media day, ‘The Process’ revealed that the Sixers do have a plan to settle him into the season. Naturally, it will require some sacrifices. So the question that stands now is – how far is Embiid willing to go?

A reporter asked him about potentially changing his playstyle, which the reporter believes may help him with availability issues, if only to some extent. Embiid has thought about it, but it is in direct contradiction to the one playing approach he has followed all his career. “All I know is, you know, ever since I started, is to play hard. Play both ends,” said the 76ers center.

In terms of scoring, Joel Embiid is a former scoring champion. A diverse scoring arsenal is exactly why he is regarded so highly when healthy. His defensive involvement has been obscure, but Embiid is a genuine rim protector with his size and athleticism. Taking anything away would be hard for The Process. “I don’t think I would ever be okay with that,” he says.

But since health is the primary factor behind the 76ers’ season, he could be open to making a sacrifice. “If you ask me to, you know, change the way I play is, you know, the only guess that I have is, you know, either play, you know, offense fully and take plays off defensively, um, which, you know, doesn’t suit me. You know, I don’t think I would ever be okay with that. So, I don’t know. I think we’ll just wait and see. Uh but yeah, if it’s got to be that way, it’s definitely going to be an adjustment,” he said on media day.

Embiid thinks rather than it being a matter of  focussing on lesser involvement on both ends, only slight adjustments may help him compete better. Joel Embiid doesn’t see the franchise considering it as an option. If anything, the Philadelphia 76ers need him to be at his peak to compete. The team has a stunning core that can dominate the East, and Embiid knows there’s only one thing that could stop them.

Health is everything for Joel Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers

The reason there is an asterisk on the Philadelphia 76ers as contenders isn’t inconsistent talent. Tyrese Maxey has averaged over 25 points in each of his last two seasons. Paul George is still an elite forward. Moreover, the 76ers have also added V.J. Edgecombe, another potential superstar who may enter the league running. But Joel Embiid doesn’t want to focus on the team’s ceiling.

The Process, ultimately, only hopes for one thing. Embiid wants the Philadelphia 76ers to be healthy. This is even more relevant for Embiid himself. Joel Embiid has missed 400 of an overall 846 games, which accounts for approximately 47% of his team’s regular-season games since his debut in 2014

“I think for me it’s taking it day by day. Um, trying to get better every single day. Obviously, we know that for us is the biggest thing is health. That’s really the biggest thing,” the 76ers’ cornerstone said about the team.  Last season, Philly’s star trio only appeared in 15 games together. Their initial ceiling was that of contenders. But injuries take away a lot of the building blocks.

In that regard, the 76ers haven’t started off well. Jared McCain has suffered a UCL tear during offseason training. He is in doubt for opening night. Additionally, Paul George is yet to be cleared for on-court activities. But they aren’t expected to be out for a significant time. Hopefully, this isn’t a bad omen for the team. Because only by spending as much time together on the court can a team truly grow into contenders. They have the depth and star power to capture the East. But they can’t sustain talent without consistency.