Joel Embiid Addresses Relationship with 76ers in New Video as Philly Faces Elimination vs. Celtics
Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid chose to focus on the here and now when asked about his relationship with management.
"I mean we're in the playoffs, we're 3-1 so that's what we focus on," he told reporters following Sunday's 128-96 loss to the Boston Celtics. "I think we try to do the best job possible to try to make sure that I get back on the court but the focus is on the playoffs trying to find a way to win one at a time."
The Sixers are down 3-1 in the series against Boston, so they face a long road back to avoid elimination.
Should Philly exit in the opening round, Embiid's future is bound to be a big offseason storyline.
The seven-time All-Star is under contract for at least two more years, but the Sixers could be stuck. Paul George simply hasn't been the player the team was expecting when it signed him, and there aren't a lot of levers to pull to meaningfully improve the roster.
Maybe resetting the timeline around guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe becomes the best path forward.
With Embiid, he also expressed some frustration earlier this month with the fact he felt healthy enough to play but was left on the bench anyway.
James Harden famously fell out with Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey in 2023, which resulted in his trade to the Los Angeles Clippers. Harden arrived by virtue of Philadelphia dealing Ben Simmons, who similarly forced his exit.
Maybe history repeats itself with another disgruntled star reaching a point of no return.
There's nothing to signal Embiid's relationship with Morey has deteriorated to a degree that should be concerning. Still, the front office is likely to ponder a lot of questions and hypothetical scenarios if Philadelphia's season ends within the next few days.
