Coming into this NBA season there’s a lot to be excited about if you’re a 76ers fan. Markelle Fultz is in the house, and Ben Simmons looks like he’ll be ready to go at the start of training camps next month. Not to mention the Eastern Conference has taken a hit in terms of talent level, so there’s an outside shot at the Sixers making the playoffs.
Then there’s the man who brought a whole boatload of hype to the Sixers, former Kansas center Joel Embiid. The man who adopted the mantra of “Trust the Process” is looking to build upon a strong foundation from the previous season. Averaging 20-and-7 last year, there’s more than enough to get the average fan thinking that this season will amount to more than the previous seasons, when the Sixers were obviously tanking.
There is a bit of a setback though: Embiid hasn’t been cleared for 5-on-5 activities yet. Embiid suffered a season-ending tear to his meniscus on January 20th and his rehab hasn’t allowed him to participate yet. Another wrinkle is that Embiid and his agent are looking for a max contract extension, and according to Howard Eskin of WIP in Philadelphia, will not participate in team activities until he gets one.
“Here is breaking news,” Eskin said on the 94WIP Midday Show. “I understand — and I was gonna sit on this and wait on it, but since you asked me the question I will answer it. He’s not ready for five-on-five play, according to the Sixers. But what I understand is, his agent wants a new contract before he — remember he’s eligible to get a new deal. Now, if you’re the Sixers you can’t give him a max deal until you see that he can play, how many games he can play during the season.
“But my understanding, part of the reason that they’re saying — whoever it is that is saying that he’s not ready for five-on-five play, is because — and Joel Embiid, I don’t think worries about the money, but they listen to their agents. And the agent wants a new contract.”
This puts the Sixers in a weird bind, because the health of Embiid is not a guarantee. Embiid has only played in 31 games in his three-year career. Of those 31 games, none of them were on back-to-back nights, nor did he play more than 30 minutes in a game. This leaves the Sixers with an interesting dilemma — do they trust the process and assume Embiid’s health with stabilize, or do they seek an alternative path in their process?
