Every week throughout the 2023-24 NBA season, we are going to take a deeper dive into a few of the league’s largest storylines in an try to find out whether or not tendencies are based mostly extra actually or fiction transferring ahead.
The NBA launched an investigation this week into one-time MVP Joel Embiid’s absence from the Philadelphia 76ers to begin the season, . Apparently the league has as many questions as the remainder of us concerning the 7-footer’s continued lack of availability, and for good motive.
Embiid missed every of Philadelphia’s six preseason video games with what the staff termed “left knee injury management.” He tore the meniscus in his left knee for a second time in January, requiring one other surgical procedure, which sidelined him till April, when he returned at lower than 100% for Philadelphia’s playoff run.
Joel Embiid sat out the Sixers’ season opener in opposition to the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday. (Picture by Mitchell Leff/Getty Photos)
He performed for Group USA within the Olympics and reported to coaching camp on time, . Maybe we must always have paid nearer consideration when Embiid knowledgeable us on media day, “Physically, I’m OK. I’m not where I want to be. … Until they feel like I’m ready to go, I’m sure they’re going to hold me back.”
Maintain him again, they did. The Sixers issued a press release earlier than their regular-season opener, suggesting Embiid is “responding well to his individualized plan and expected to ramp up his return-to-play activities this week, including scrimmaging.” He’s anticipated to overlook at the very least two extra video games to begin the season.
In different phrases, 9 months faraway from a second surgical procedure to his left knee, six months after he returned to the court docket, three months since taking part in in Paris and one month into the 2024-25 marketing campaign, Embiid is starting to get into sport form. This could not solely set off alarm bells; it’s a five-alarm fireplace.
Embiid is listed at 7 toes and 280 kilos. Consider it or not, in response to Basketball Reference, that dimension have ever made even a single All-Star staff: Shaquille O’Neal, Yao Ming, Andrew Bynum and Brook Lopez.
BEFORE AGE 30
AGES 30-32
GMS/SEASON
USG%
GMS/SEASON
USG%
Shaquille O’Neal
67.5
31.0
69
29.0
Yao Ming
60.1
26.8
5.0
24.8
Andrew Bynum
46.4
19.9
0.0
0.0
Brook Lopez
63.6
25.8
73
17.2
Joel Embiid
43.3
35.5
TBD
TBD
Bynum, whose profession required a number of surgical procedures to each knees, retired at age 26. Yao retired 5 video games into his age-30 season, needing a fifth surgical procedure to his left foot. Although Lopez has managed to get pleasure from a protracted profession, regardless of three surgical procedures on his proper foot from 2011 to 2014, it was at age 30 he transitioned to a lower-usage position for self-preservation, signing for the bi-annual exception in 2018.
Solely O’Neal carried his dominance into his 30s. He didn’t have a single main surgical procedure in his 20s. He was coming off three straight championships (and Finals MVPs) at age 30, main the NBA in Participant Effectivity Score every season. He would win a fourth title with the Miami Warmth at age 33, as accidents started to erode his affect, and he was by no means once more the identical, taking part in for 4 completely different groups in his remaining 4 seasons.
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A reminder: The Sixers simply granted Embiid a three-year, $192 million contract extension, which pays him virtually $70 million — one-third of the projected wage cap — on the age of 34 within the 2028-29 season.
Philadelphia is banking on Embiid, who turned 30 in March, turning into The Subsequent Shaq. There have been additionally questions on O’Neal’s conditioning at 30, however at the very least we had proof of what was potential with him on the helm — a dynasty. He didn’t miss a single playoff sport in his 20s. Embiid has by no means completed a season in good well being.
We even have ample proof that Embiid is nearer to the top of his profession — or at the very least nearer to transitioning into a special part — than he’s to anchoring a championship staff. Check out that chart once more. Exterior of Bynum, who, once more, was 4 years retired by this level of his profession, Embiid logged the very best utilization and lowest availability of anybody his dimension in his 20s.
And we anticipate him to get higher when he’s already sidelined to begin this season? Along with resting him for the primary week of the 2024-25 marketing campaign, the plan to organize Embiid for a wholesome playoff run is to maintain him from taking part in one other 15 back-to-back video games. It should additionally characteristic “periodic time off during the regular season and routine evaluations from doctors and the 76ers’ medical staff,” Charania reported.
The one factor we realized from Philadelphia’s opening-night loss to the Milwaukee Bucks: The Sixers are removed from a contender in Embiid’s absence. They seemed like a staff that’s nonetheless attempting to determine who it’s when the face of their franchise just isn’t on the ground, as in the event that they haven’t had ample alternative to organize. It doesn’t matter in the long run, as a result of who they’re with out Embiid is of no relevance to the .
So the Sixers will spend the season vacillating between a staff that runs by its oft-injured 7-foot, 280-pound behemoth and one led as an alternative by a 24-year-old Tyrese Maxey. The model of the 76ers sans Embiid completed final season with a 16-27 file and was outscored by 12.6 factors per 100 possessions.
In what world is that this a great plan? It isn’t; it’s simply the one plan obtainable to them. And it’s one which additionally depends on the well being of Paul George, a 34-year-old who joined Embiid on the harm record to begin the season.
George’s 74 video games final season had been an anomaly. He missed 40% of his video games in his earlier 4 seasons with proper shoulder, left hamstring, proper foot, proper elbow, proper hamstring, proper knee, left groin and left knee illnesses. George, who signed a four-year max contract with the Sixers within the offseason, hyperextended his left knee within the preseason, struggling a bone bruise.
Once more: It will get higher at age 34, as he opens the season with an harm? He, too, will doubtless miss back-to-back video games this season along with his absence to start the 12 months. At greatest the Sixers may have their full complement of stars for three-quarters of the season, getting ready one staff to contend for a title and one other to stop them from falling within the standings, as they did final season, all in hopes of hitting the bottom operating each different night time for the whole lot of the playoffs. No staff would ever ask for this.
Apart from the Sixers, who simply signed up for 4 extra years of it.
Dedication: Truth. Joel Embiid and the 76ers are in for a protracted season.
