Joel Embiid made a triumphant return to action on Sunday but he was far from jubilant afterward. The Sixers superstar center expressed exasperation to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps over his ongoing left knee issues that have kept him out of action most of the season.
“Depressing. Just trying to figure it out. There’s no injury. Just between the swelling … we’ve got to get it figured out. That’s it,” he said. “I’ve been saying it for the last few months. It’s been extremely depressing. It’s something that hasn’t been figured out, and it’s been extremely annoying, because I would love to play every single game.”
In uniform for just the fifth time this season and the first time since Nov. 20, Embiid logged 33 minutes against Chicago and contributed 31 points, 12 rebounds, four assists and two blocks.
It was just the second time this season that Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George played in the same game. During their 26 minutes on the court together, the Sixers outscored the Bulls by 14 points.
“It’s easier, man. There’s a lot more space out there,” Maxey said of Embiid’s return. “I felt like today, even when he’s out there and I’m not out there, it’s harder to maybe trap or whatever. They can’t trap ball screens, you know what I mean? Either or if they don’t drive, then I can score or shoot 3 or if they drop too much and help too much for me, I’m pocket passing to him and he’s getting a layup or a [midrange jumper] … it makes the game easier.”
Embiid signed a three-year max extension in September and recent reports have detailed the extensive medical testing he underwent prior to the extension agreement. The team had anticipated Embiid’s issues would be manageable and were surprised by the early absences as he continued the rehab process.
“It felt good to have the guys on the floor. I believe if we’re healthy, and we’re on the floor, we have a chance against anybody, and I like what we have,” Embiid said. “I think the whole thing is about health … that’s what it comes down to. I wish I could have been playing from the beginning. I would love to play every single game, every single minute, but sometimes your body just says, ‘No,’ and you can’t do nothing about it. All you can do is just keep working to fix it and get better.”
Yep, its his career that is ending early, staring him right in the face. Depressing for sure.
When has anything about Embiid NOT been about potential or what ifs or speculation?
Wemby is the new big man with all the skills and potential. Jokic is the current big man who turned his skills into actual results and playoff success.
The NBA has a lot of great young players coming up and absolute all-time legends wrapping up their careers. Embiid is neither. The NBA is better off when the attention is focused on the players impacting the game with their presence on the floor… not their absence.
Play or don’t play, who cares anymore at this point. Saying what could be or could have been has been the same sad sack story coming from Philadelphia for a decade. Nothing has changed except the coaches.
You’re correct in saying Embiid is neither a great young player or all-time legend. Embiid is 30 and is nearing the end of prime. If he happens to play in only 30-40 games this season that’s fine. He needs to heal and come back strong. With modern medicine he might be able to. Is he ever going to give the 76ers 70+ plus games? Probably not but they knew that when they drafted him. Is he still capable of playing 60+ for a few more seasons and retiring as an all-time great and future Hall of Famer? Absolutely. There’s never been a player like him. When healthy he’s been a dominant force on both ends. A guy that can post up and be that throw back type of center like Ewing or a 7 footer that can take and make shots from deep. In the era of Sabonis and Jokìc He’s an underrated passer and he’s defensive scheme unto himself. Wembanyama and Holmgren are the future at the 5 but I’ve always had a soft spot for Embiid because he’s a bridge between the old and new.
Saying there has never been a player like him is ignorance. Comparing him to Ewing OR Jokic is not basing your opinion in reality.
At his current participation rate, Embiid will close his career with a value that resembles Rasheed Wallace. And Sheed will have a ring.
I keep forgetting that rings are the only thing that defines great players in a team sport. Robert Horry and Steve Kerr are HOF snubs with all their jewelry.
Speaking of ignorance, comparing Joel Embiid, who was the most dominant big man in the league over the past four years and arguably could have had two MVPs, to Rasheed Wallace is ignorant. Longevity is an issue for Embiid no question, but he is a potential HOF player. A more accurate comp would be Yao Ming. A dominant force who did not have a title team around him and had his career derailed by injury
Another Embiid defense with “could have.”
Most dominant big man of the last 4 years is obviously Jokic.
In 16 years Sheed has 105.1 Win Shares, in 11 years Embiid has 63.6 Win Shares. Unless you think an overweight, chronically injured player is going to somehow get better in his 30s, they are on a similar pace.
Ohhh you count two seasons he didn’t actually play a game towards his win share total. Yea, cherry picking stats to fit your narrative isn’t that hard. You say comparing Ewing to Embiid is ignorant, well here are some more cherry picked stats for you: in almost 1200 games Ewing has a VoRP of 50.1. Embiid in just over 400 games (1/3 the games of Ewing) has a VoRP of 31.4. Ewing played 17 seasons and Embiid is in his 9th. Based on your “pace” argument, Embiid is going to end up better than Ewing. He only needs to play roughly 40 games a year for the next five years to do so. Last season in 39 games, Embiid had a VoRP of 4.5. See, I can cherry pick a stat to fit my narrative too.
I love sheed, but he doesn’t come close to being a comp in any meaningful way.
Please get some knowledge. You don’t win arguments by talking BS ……
Do you watch games. Do you understand this team sport that only uses 8 players out of 12 that suit up. Ewing played 1183 career games. Ewing played 139 playoff games. He played against Pacers on a broken leg. Beat them to get to his second Finals. Ewing played on top teams in HS and college. He made the Knicks a contender for yrs. Knicks never got him a PG. Embiid had to ride the Olympic team to understand winning. Ewing was the starting center on the greatest basketball team ever assembled. Only thing has ever won. Us biggest cry baby in NBA literally …….
Thanks for the attack Al, but you completely missed the point. the point of my comment was how you can cherry pick stats to make any argument you want. Druu called someone ignorant for comping Embiid to Ewing. Followed that up with an equally ignorant comp of Embiid and Wallace and used cherry picked stats to prove the point. Not to mention the fact that those stats were also 100% incorrect. Call my argument BS but nothing on that? I would have done the same thing with stats if he used Alonzo mourning. Ewing just happened to be the subject. I never said Ewing was a fair comp, I said Yao Ming is a better comp at this point. Maybe you should read before spouting off, or maybe Druu is your other account and you switched because you realized your mistakes.
There is no question that Ewing had a longer and healthier career. I literally said longevity is an issue for Embiid.
Since you attack my knowledge and understanding of the game, why is it that Ewing made the Knicks a contender but not Embiid for the Sixers? Let me guess, you will claim the Sixers aren’t contenders because they havent made it past the second round. Well, Ewing made it past the second round a whopping 4 times out of 14 playoffs. Two of which were when Jordan “retired”…which is also the ONLY reason the Knicks made it to the finals in the first place. The bulls (Jordan) OWNED the Knicks, just like the Celtics currently own the Sixers. Ok maybe ewing had a good HS team, I don’t know, and played for a good Georgetown team for four years. Embiid played one college season and was big 12 DPOY in his 4th season of organized basketball. I can say impressive things too! Ewing played on a broken leg, well Embiid also plays hurt as do tons of other athletes. I’ve watched playoff Embiid play on one leg, and with a broken face. One thing I haven’t seen is Embiid miss a layup at the buzzer to lose a playoff series. I watched that, did you?
It’s ok that most people hate Embiid. But he is 2x scoring champ and MVP…that is elite nba play, especially from a big
Ewing had the biggest nostrils
Average WS/season:
Sheed: 6.6
Ewing: 7.4
Embiid: 7.9
Don’t forget, Embiid was considered a rookie in 2016
If Embiid plays 40 games a season for 5 more years, he will get clowned on harder than he currently is.
Injuries aren’t a part of his legacy you can just ignore… injuries(and excuses) ARE his legacy
And in five years, your WS stats/comps argument will still be wrong.
Druuu – thats not entirely true. If Embiid wanted to cut his salary to about 20 million and barely play in the regular season so he could destroy himself in the playoffs, he would be a hero in Philly. It would also depend on him actually doing something in the playoffs.
Definitely a .001% chance at that happening but his shortcomings are amplified by his price tag.
His closest similarity on basketball reference is Brad Daugherty. Daugherty’s career ended at age 29 due to injuries.
“I’m depressed and annoyed. Sometimes I cry. Other times I lash out violently. Planning on playing next Tuesday.”
Embiid sighting today. Wow.
He’s probably back to load management for the next 10 games or so.
Well I was wrong. It wasn’t a hangnail.
Do these guys work out in the off season anymore. Yes sometimes things happen but none of these guys being able to play 82 unlike ANY generation of NBA players before them then these players who cannot play defense, be coached, dribble etc etc these players are the weakest ever. Weakest era ever
Sign Covington so the process recognizes a old friend to help (The Process in what Hinkie started and not Joel E himself)
Trade PG and Drummond if possible for a player the same age as Joel E that can score (SF).
I didn’t realize that Maxey was 24 years old.
Getting rid of all their players to get greedy and just to lose Butler and Harden.
Denver gets greedy for a college PF/C. He’s out
Orlando drafts a PF. Their star PF he’s out
Utah has to many PF’s Hendricks. He’s out
76ers sign Drummond. Joel E. He’s out
Indiana signs Wiseman when they have Turner. Wiseman he’s out
Get greedy and yeah
Torn meniscus are not a joke. I went back to work 2 days after I had surgery on my torn left one 10 yrs ago and it swells up all the time. when I tore the right one 3 yrs ago I gave it time to heal after surgery and not nearly as many problems. I think Embiid should not have played at all at end of last year or in the Olympics. It’s going to be an ongoing struggle for him.
Anyone who thinks Horry and Kerr belong in the HOF. Doesn’t understand what this game is all about.
You are hilarious. Again missing the point, Druu. You comped Embiid and Rasheed Wallace and “Sheed will have a ring”. To which I sarcastically responded that I keep forgetting rings are all that defines great player, and using two guys with numerous rings that are very clearly not all time greats to show the utter ridiculousness of implying Sheed is better because he has a ring.
Just give up already. You either have awful reading comprehension skills or are purposefully taking things out of context to try and demean others. You are embarrassing yourself. Just take the L and live to comment another day.