Joel Embiid has been in the news constantly since the start of this season and for not the right reasons. The new ‘normal’ for the big man has only brought trouble for the Philadelphia 76ers. After the 1st round playoff exit last season, the hoopster texted Daryl Morey, “We got to do whatever it takes to make sure that in the postseason I’m healthy,” explained Embiid. But “whatever” they’re doing has landed them in trouble.

Before the 2023-24 season tipped off, the NBA rolled out a revised “player participation policy” designed to curb the trend of stars sitting out games, especially during marquee matchups or nationally broadcasted contests. This rule tries to ensure fans see their favorite stars on the court, but it’s not without exceptions. Players dealing with ongoing injuries, serious illnesses, or other legitimate medical issues can still miss multiple games in a row without violating the policy.

But this is what got them in trouble. Sam Amick, a writer for The Athletic, has cleared everything up. While appearing on Run It Back On FanDuel TV, he said the Philly side was being investigated for ‘load management’ comments, but that wasn’t it.

“We’re not talking about a couple of phone calls and barely digging in. We’re talking about medical records, documents, maybe in different times phone records, they really dug in,” explained Amick.

So, in conclusion, the Sixers weren’t lying about Joel Embiid’s injury. That was legitimate.

“The only reason they got fined was because their public statements were in such contrast to what was happening privately. They had said that basically he was healthy, that he was ready to go and they made it seem as if they were doing load management without an actual injury and that doesn’t jibe with the TV partners, and that’s not the direction the league is going,” explained Amick on the show.

Now all this begs the question: if the 76ers were aware of his injuries, why did they sign him to a maximum contract extension? Well, apparently, the Sixers knew about it and they felt it was a good enough gamble. The team also backed “their ability to manage it going forward,” as revealed by Amick. But now that he’s playing games sometimes on and off, do you think he can finally justify his wages?

Can Joel Embiid turn all this misery around?

Joel Embiid’s season so far has been a rollercoaster, and not the fun kind you’d wait in line for. Starting the year without him and new teammate Paul George wasn’t ideal for the Sixers, even in an 82-game grind. The Process’ absence in preseason and the first nine games, blamed on “injury management,” left fans scratching their heads—especially after he played for Team USA in the Olympics.

This season’s numbers tell the story: career lows in scoring (19.8), boards (7.5), and shooting (37.9%).

It’s wild to see a former MVP struggle like this. And then there’s the drama. Tyrese Maxey allegedly called him out in a team meeting for being late, and that tea spilled out to the media? Yikes. Add Embiid’s poor body language during a loss to the Memphis Grizzlies and his three-game suspension for clashing with a reporter, and things aren’t looking rosy.

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Honestly, you almost feel bad for the guy, but it’s hard to ignore how these optics affect team chemistry.

The big wrinkle? That $193 million extension Joel Embiid signed. Injuries have always cut short the Sixers talisman’s flashes of brilliance, preventing him from maintaining dominance like a few others in the league. It’s like watching a blockbuster movie that ends right before the climax. The Sixers are obviously banking on Embiid, staying healthy, but history isn’t on their side. If his body can’t keep up, that contract could turn into one of the league’s worst headaches. Philly fans deserve better, and honestly, so does Joel.