The Philadelphia 76ers are dealing with a short-term and long-term Joel Embiid issue.
As is often the case, Joel Embiid is dominating headlines in the NBA. This time he is doing so without even playing.
Embiid is nursing a knee injury which has restricted him from playing at all so far in 2024-25.
Now he has been hit with a three-game suspension after an altercation with a reporter, delaying his Philadelphia 76ers season debut even further.
Joel Embiid could be set to return next week when his suspension over and the NBA Cup begins, Shams Charania reports.
Yet the 76ers will be treading carefully, as it has been declared Embiid will not be playing in back to back games.
This was met with criticism, although Stephen A. Smith was one who stuck up for Embiid, arguing he should be able to determine his own load management.
Embiid expressed unhappiness even before the altercation, which led to the 76ers issuing a private apology.
Former NBA star Kendrick Perkins has hit out at the 76ers management of the situation, believing Embiid’s load management should have been kept under wraps in the first place.
Perkins told ESPN “We shouldn’t even be talking about this right now, right? Obviously, it was a plan that was in place. That’s what it looks like. But it wasn’t managed. It’s not managed well.
“We shouldn’t never knew that Joel Embiid was not going to play back to back. That should have never been out in the public.
“What happens behind the scenes is, majority of the time, you meet with everyone, and then y’all go over a plan, and then you have your PR media person there, yeah. Say, hey we’re not going to share this type of information.
“So, yes, they have a plan, but seems like it’s not managed well.”
Embiid’s suspension means the 76ers must wait a little before the narrative can be switched.
Yet the back to back game debate is an ongoing one, which the 76ers and Embiid plan to stick to, and everybody else must adjust to.
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