'Don't Trust Him at All,' Joel Embiid Called Out by NBA Exec for Injury History After Landing LeBron

Amid all of the excitement about the Philadelphia 76ers after adding Jaylen Brown and Jayson Tatum, perhaps the biggest wild card on the roster that could determine their fortunes during the 2026-27 season is Joel Embiid.

Speaking to ESPN's Vincent Goodwill, one NBA executive bluntly stated they "don't trust him at all" when discussing Embiid's health and availability.

It's a completely reasonable stance to take at this point in Embiid's career. He has played just over 50 percent of regular-season games since entering the NBA in 2014 (490 out of 965).

The percentage is better in the playoffs because Embiid has played 66 out of 78 games for the Sixers, but four of those absences came last season when he sat out the first three games against the Boston Celtics and Game 2 against the New York Knicks.

One huge benefit of the Sixers adding both Brown and James is they don't have to be as dependent on Embiid to play at a high level as they have been over the past decade.

A quartet of Brown, James, Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe should be able to put up points against any team in the NBA. Embiid would be a tremendous finishing piece if he can stay healthy because he's still a dominant force who has averaged 29.4 points, 9.1 rebounds and 4.7 assists over the past three seasons.

The issue is Embiid has only played 96 games during that three-season span. Now that they look to have more depth at the top of the roster than at any other point in his career, the Sixers can more carefully manage his regular-season usage in an attempt to keep him healthy for a potential postseason run.