July 31, 2024
Candice Ward/USA TODAY Sports
Joel Embiid -- who is currently preparing for the 2024 Olympics -- is now eligible to sign a three-year contract extension with the Sixers.
This is a bad idea.
Sure, it sounded great when Joel Embiid announced he would play for Team USA but look at the cost. We are once again left with more questions than answers, namely if this truly was the best decision for an oft-injured superstar.
I can tell you right now, even before the second game on Wednesday, this is a mistake. We have so many different ways to go here but let’s start with the obvious; it’s a colossal waste of time.
Embiid is struggling to adapt to the international game as evident by all but one of the exhibition games, then Sunday against Serbia to open the Olympics. This is a tough scene. He’s routinely being outplayed by Anthony Davis. We are watching one of the top individual talents in the NBA struggle to adapt to different rules. Embiid was limited in minutes as those went to Davis instead, who provided more of a spark on both sides of the ball.
Look at the game this past weekend against Serbia. Team USA rolled while Embiid played just 11 minutes, scored four points, and had more personal fouls (3) than rebounds or assists. This was more of the same as Davis at least provided eight rebounds along with his seven points. Even when they both struggled in exhibition play, Embiid seemed to struggle more – outside of one game against Germany.
Waste of time.
Wasn’t this whole thing about playing with top level talent so he can bring that back to Tyrese Maxey and Paul George? This was supposed to be a learning experience for Embiid as much as anything else. Instead, it’s looking like a glorified ring chase from a guy who’s come to the realization this is the only way he’s going to win anything.
Steve Kerr might drop Embiid out of the lineup at this point and nobody would complain. Davis has done more with the minutes and more importantly for Team USA, Embiid isn’t gelling with Steph Curry nor LeBron James.
Playing poorly is just the tip of the iceberg. There’s also the added factor of us collectively holding our breath anytime Embiid is playing basketball. This is no longer a talking point on the radio or at the barbershop, Embiid is a proven injury-prone commodity and is playing meaningless (see above) basketball. He’s pushing his risk of injury in a setting where he’s not even gaining anything except riding tails of other all-stars.
Embiid played 39 regular season games last year, which was once again derailed by setbacks. It wasn’t enough for him to race back in the playoffs, as they fell to the Knicks in six games. Playing limited minutes where he’s still trying to figure out the scheme and strategy isn’t doing anything for his conditioning. We aren’t going to magically see an in-shape Embiid at the start of the year as a result of this extra hoops.
He's been hurt or missed time every year. Why would this suddenly change? Does Team USA have access to better nutritionists or strength coaches than the Sixers? No, it’s more a matter of optics. Embiid has been given the chance to get in better shape each offseason, and the end result has been more time missed.
Team USA isn’t doing anything to improve on this, if anything we may see more injury risk as he’s struggling to fit.
It’s all connected. The Sixers went out and spent a ton of money this off season. It wasn’t just Paul George but man, what a signing and costly one at that. They bring in a guy who is already fighting injuries like Embiid, while the latter is off playing Medal ball in France. I’m never a “get in the gym” type guy but if Embiid is going to be working out this offseason with basketball players, they should include people with the last names Maxey and George.
It's because Embiid isn’t gelling with current players, the injury history, the all-in mentality of Daryl Morey with the money behind it, all of this leads us to think this is an exercise in futility more than anything else. They still built this thing around Embiid, even if it’s for one more go.
Beyond George, they brought back Maxey to the tune of a massive deal, they signed guys like Andre Drummond and Eric Gordon to help fill out the roster, and brought back some continuity in Kelly Oubre Jr.
This is a team that screams, “GIMME ONE MORE CHANCE TO COMPETE” and the guy who should be yelling that is too busy figuring out the extended triangle. So yes, this is also a disaster. It’s wasting what little time this team has to gel.
There’s nothing wrong with rooting on our country but even Sixers fans have to know this experiment is failing.
Eytan Shander is a long time radio and TV personality in Philadelphia. In addition to his weekly column, you can currently listen and watch him on Fox29’s Good Day and other sports shows. He’s giving betting advice on OddsShopper. A lifetime Eagles fan, Eytan lives just outside the city with his wife.
Follow Eytan on Twitter: @shandershow
