Sixers are making savvy move with Joel Embiid

Whether it’s due to the swagger that emanates from the city of Philadelphia like steam off a hot cheesesteak or they actually believe it, the 76ers seem to think that they are perhaps the best team in the NBA. This is a sentiment the squad has had for years, and they always feel like they get a raw deal when their season ends early.

A common refrain in Sixers Land is that if they were only completely healthy, they could (and would) beat anybody. This, of course, remains to be seen, as their best player can rarely get through a season unscathed. Last year was particularly difficult for Joel Embiid, as a knee injury caused him to miss more than half of the regular season. And while he had a terrific postseason – even tallying 50 points in one game – he was clearly hobbled, and the Sixers were knocked out in the first round.

This is why what the team is doing right now makes so much sense. Embiid has yet to play a game this year, even though – and reports vary – he may not in fact be injured. Or, at the very least, he might not be too injured to play. This was all but verified with Philadelphia acting very squirrelly when discussing his health. The team even got hit with a $100,000 fine for “inconsistent” statements, though the NBA did conclude that Embiid was hurt.

Philly’s star center just recently started participating in 5-on-5 scrimmages, but that doesn’t mean that he will be back to playing meaningful basketball imminently. The team also surely won’t be in any rush to get Paul George into the lineup. Their prize acquisition in the offseason, George is another veteran with a lot of mileage on his sneakers, and a hyperextended knee during the preseason has kept him out. Like Embiid, he too has an extensive injury history.

With the extremely long season just underway, the Sixers have their eyes on the prize, and if this means sacrificing regular season wins for postseason health, so be it. This may also mean racking up the fines if they decide to let Embiid and George take some time off during the year. But with an ownership group worth nearly $12 billion, they can certainly afford it.

As the 2024 playoffs proved – particularly in the East – the teams that were most intact were the ones that had the most success. The Sixers know that in order to be the last team standing, they have to make sure of one thing: that come crunch time, Embiid will literally be able to stand.