The Sixers have been fined $100K by the NBA for violating league rules, including its player participation policy, according to a press release.
Philadelphia had been the subject of a league investigation after holding Joel Embiid out of games during the first week of the season for what the team dubbed “left knee injury management.”
According to today’s announcement from the NBA, the 76ers weren’t fined for resting Embiid, but for public statements that club representatives – including general manager Daryl Morey and head coach Nick Nurse – made about his status.
Nurse told reporters last week that Embiid hadn’t suffered any setbacks after injuring his left knee last season and suggested that the star center’s absence during the first few days of the season was part of the team’s plan for managing his workload.
“The league’s investigation also confirmed that Embiid has been unable to play in the 76ers’ regular season games this season due to a left knee condition, and therefore his games missed have not violated the Player Participation Policy,” the NBA’s statement reads.
While a team is considered to have violated the player participation policy and is subject to a fine for holding a healthy player out of nationally televised game (like last Wednesday’s Sixers/Bucks contest), a team can also be fined for inconsistent statements that don’t accurately represent a player’s health. The NBA made this ruling based on the latter rule, not the former.
As Bobby Marks of ESPN tweets, a $100K fine is the standard for an initial violation of the player participation policy. Those fines would escalate for subsequent violations, beginning with a $250K penalty for the second strike.
I don’t know how everyone else feels about 82 regular season games, but I’d like to hear it, I’ve always felt 82 games is a ton to play for Embiid and George every year professionally not even including the playoffs
Look at the knees of Embiid and George
So, because of Embiid the total reg games should be reduced?
Season is fine. The league is not changing it, too much $$$ will be lost.
Embiid and George need to figure it out, they both chose to signed LARGE contracts, they should actually play 50-60 games. IF Al Horford is playing more games than you, you should step it up.
Morey knew what he was doing and knows what he is currently doing now. They will just pay the fines.
Same ole Same ole for the Sixers.
You’re right, they won’t change it but 82 games is too many games for any player in the modern era. The game today is more athletically demanding. Players have to run up and down the court on nearly every play. Cut on a dime for switches and picks etc. Old school players got to stand around and wait for the big man to post up for 17-20 seconds. Sure they had the occasional fast break but not like in today’s game.
It’s also too many games for a casual fan to stay or get interested for the entire season. Sure I’ll watch close to 150 games this season but I’m not most fans. Regular season games would mean more if they played less of them.
The game today is way less physical. Embiid is a sook.
Less physical, maybe in the sense that players don’t beat the hell out of each other playing “defense”. It is more athletically demanding today though. The slowest paced teams in the league today would be amongst the fastest paced teams in league during the 90’s and aughts.
Well said CF. 82 games for the explosiveness and competitiveness in today’s NBA is simply too much for stars to handle. I think most NBA fans can admit that. But the money generate by 10 extra games is too large at this point. That being said, you don’t pay your favorite team’s best player to play less than at least 70. The money is too high for anything less.
The 6ers once again have landed themselves in hot water because they can’t just stfu. Every team in the NBA lies. Morey has a track record of lying. Im not sure why Philly felt so much obligation to explain the Embiid thing, especially after George’s gross injury.
The top end of the East is weak enough for Philly fans to not worry about making at least a 6 seed. But if Troll-el thinks they do that by taking the first month and a half off…
Plan > Process but thats not saying much.
Funny that you used the word professionally ….. being a professional means doing your job at the highest level possible.
Being complicit to load management, promoting load management, not being at your best condition is far from being professional.
Blame Embiid and Podcast P first, than look at the number of games.
Clueless bot ever.
I have only been following the NBA for a couple years so I may be way off here. This seems like the NBA working with the sixers to walk back all the load management talk. Kinda saying “we’re fine with it, you just can’t come out and be so honest about it in the press.” Am I way off?
It seems a double standard. Kawhi Leonard misses multiple games every season due to load management as do Ben Simmons, Zion Williamson and Paul George. Several other players do as well. They could have I don’t remember other teams getting investigated and fined for doing so nearly as much as the 6ers when it comes to Embiid.
it must be tough on NBA players having to show up for their job 82 out of the 365 days a year. those 48 minutes they work each of those 82 days must be hard
You’re not very smart if you think that’s all their job entails.
Yeah, forgot about all the excruciating and arduous interviews and appearances. Man, these pampered giants have it rough.
I am reasonably sure that NBA teams practice or play games at least 6 out of 7 days a week during the season, and spend a significant amount of their time in the off season working on their skills and conditioning. Itzhak Perlman averages 116 concerts a year, but on days off he practices 3 hours. To imagine any entertainer is only working when the audience is present to see them work is … hmmm .. ignorant beyond belief.
Let’s dial it back a bit and not completely give the nba players the same respect as any blue collar job, construction workers, farmers, frontline workers, two job single mothers, and so on. They’ve got it made in the shade but still try to milk it every chance they get.
thank you! These babies just get away with anything they want.