Will Joel Embiid Get Blamed if 76ers Lose? NBA Insider Sounds Off After LeBron's Decision

Even after they added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown, the Philadelphia 76ers' championship hopes may rest squarely on the shoulders of one player: Joel Embiid.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne cited one source who argued Embiid remains the most consequential star on the roster.

"It all comes down to Joel," the source said. "If it's Tyrese, VJ, Jaylen Brown, LeBron and Adem Bona, that's not a championship team. But if it's those four guys and Joel, that's a championship team.

"That's not to say it's Joel's fault if it doesn't go well. He might get blamed anyway. But more that he can be the reason they win — and LeBron can really help him."

One rival coach signaled a level of urgency for the organization.

"The Process is over," they told Shelburne. "This needs to be the product. They need to finish this thing. The Sixers have done this for a long time with Embiid and it's go time."

The Sixers have turned over the roster multiple times. They've fired coaches and lead basketball executives. And still, they've often been unable to avoid the same hurdle.

Embiid was either unable to perform at 100 percent or out altogether in the playoffs because he was nursing an injury. Last year, he was sidelined for the first three games of Philly's first-round series with the Boston Celtics and then missed Game 2 in a second-round sweep at the hands of the New York Knicks.

Getting both James and Brown is a hedge against this to some degree.

The Sixers will be better in the regular season when Embiid is out for whatever reason, and winning more games without him in the lineup will help their postseason seeding. He shouldn't have to carry as large a burden in the postseason, either.

In general, one big risk behind Philly's roster construction is that there isn't much depth behind the starting lineup.

To the point raised by Shelburne's source, the team could be in serious trouble if it's having to navigate a playoff series with Embiid but without one of Brown, James or Maxey. The talent level falls off in a big way once you get to the bench.

But the best version of Embiid is still unlike almost any other player in the NBA. When he suited up against Boston, he averaged 28 points, nine rebounds and seven assists. The 2022-23 MVP single-handedly swung that series.

Should the Sixers fall short of their goal and it being due to an Embiid-related factor, the front office could face a serious dilemma.