The NBA is expected to launch an investigation into Joel Embiid‘s absence from the Sixers‘ lineup this week to determine whether the team is violating the league’s player participation policy, according to Shams Charania of ESPN.
The player participation policy requires stars (defined as players who have made an All-Star or All-NBA team in the past three seasons) to suit up for nationally televised games. If they’re held out of action without an injury or without the league granting an exception, the team is subject to a fine.
The Sixers have already stated that Embiid will miss the first three games of the season, including Wednesday’s home opener vs. Milwaukee, which is being nationally broadcast on ESPN.
Embiid dealt with a left knee injury last season and the Sixers have referred to his absence this fall (he also sat out the preseason) as “left knee injury management.” However, Embiid played in the postseason and in the Olympics and head coach Nick Nurse told reporters on Tuesday that the star center hasn’t suffered any setbacks, so the league clearly has questions about whether there’s legitimate cause for him to be held out for the start of the season.
Leading up to the season, the Sixers have repeatedly and publicly made it clear that they’ll handle Embiid extremely cautiously this season in the hopes of having him healthy for the playoffs. According to Charania, the club’s plan is expected to include “periodic time off during the regular season and routine evaluations from doctors and the 76ers medical staff.”
There’s enough wiggle room within the player participation policy (which also discourages teams from resting more than one star in the same game, frequently resting a star during road games, or resting a star during an in-season tournament game) for the Sixers to adhere to its rules and still get Embiid plenty of off-days during the season. But if they want to manage the former MVP’s participation on their own terms rather than on the NBA’s terms, the 76ers may have to prepare to pay some fines.
While Paul George has also been ruled out for Philadelphia’s regular season opener on Wednesday, he recently sustained a knee injury that he’s still recovering from, so there’s no potential violation of the participation policy there.
The NBA has reached desperate times when they continue to try to decide when players play, It demonstrates just how one player dependent basketball is and why it’s losing audiences in droves
Lol.
So, Philly cannot just sit the guy they paid a max deal to and that fans want to see and you are claiming that move, or any move by the NBA to stop this, is causing people to leave the NBA as fans?
Sure. That sounds reasonable.
OR, it could be that the Sixers have a history of screwing with the league and its fans for the past decade. Remember “THE PROCESS.”
That was another lame attempt by the Sixers to game the system so they could get a top 5 pick each season. Remember when the league had to take control of the Sixers organization because it was an embarrassment to the NBA?
I do.
Stop crying. Embiid should play and having him go out in the media and state that he is not going to play in certain games puts the target squarely on the Sixers organization again.
Sixers are not run well, they have not been for over a decade, maybe that is the problem.
Remember who created “THE PROCESS”? Michael Rubin, now of Fanatics/Lids/Topps/Weirdo billionaire parties where everyone wears white. The guy with the cocaine eyes. THAT guy.
Rambling take that reflects the writers obvious bitterness his particular team of rooting interests is either a perennial cellar dweller or he is a failed hoopster whose dreams were shattered when he realized he was not not only a mental midget, but a actual midget.
I do agree with your comment about viewership is declining. I believe it’s due to there’s not many very likable players in the league right now. Too many players are moving around, there is no emphasis on fundamental basketball skills. If you can shoot 3’s you are pretty much a NBA lifer. The constant media obsession over fashion, personal life, etc is also quite exhausting. Before it was just about on the court skills, now it’s about each player’s individual brand. Also, not many people like Adam Silver these days due to him being too buddy buddy with certain NBA superstars such as LBJ, Steph, etc. Also, majority of the fans who were a huge part of the NBA becoming a global game have either stopped watching the game due to personal reasons such as family, or they simply cannot afford the prices some of these teams are charging even for 300 level. There’s a plethora of reasons why viewership is in decline, but the popularity is still soaring. If it wasn’t, none of us would be here commenting on the most random articles the writers on this website/app would update us on.
Steph Curry has always been the face of the league to everyone in the world except the head offices of the NBA. If only they leaned into Steph, they would have the best ratings of all sports.
Ironically, nobody cared to watch Steph in 2019 or 2022. So your point is null and void.
If you don’t believe me look it up, lowest rated finals in years. So how is he the face of the NBA if 2019 and 2022 weren’t even highly rated?
Do explain.
The NBA isn’t losing their audience “in droves” Viewership for everything with the exception of the NFL is declining although the NBA has stayed somewhat the same since the pandemic. People are relying more and more on streaming services and there’s a lot of entertainment options for people to consume. It use to be a casual fan would flip through the channels and stop on a NBA game because there was nothing else on. That’s why the NBA made it a priority to make deals with Disney/ESPN and Amazon. For what it’s worth in person attendence was slightly up during the 23/24 season.
When does Morey trade Joel DNP Embiid?
Trust the process
The process ended when Simmons got the yipes. The bad back, mental health issues and more importantly when Jimmy Butler walked. Couldn’t believe how Philly babied these guys….you’ll aren’t tough enough, I’m out.
I think both Embiid’s and Kawhi’s knees are totally cooked and we wont see much of either of them ever again.
I doubted the best weed was in Frisco, until I started reading your takes
@ Davey…you’re probably right, happens. Difference is kawhi got the rings and 2x finals MVP’s.