Joel Embiid Opens 76ers Camp Without Restrictions, Nick Nurse Talks LeBron James Maintenance Plan

This could finally be the year that Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid stays healthy.

After playing in fewer than 40 games in each of the last three seasons, Embiid is entering training camp without restrictions. Sixers head coach Nick Nurse announced that the 2023 NBA MVP was a full participant in Tuesday's practice and "looked great" after getting into great shape over the summer.

Nurse also told reporters that there have been discussions about managing the workloads of Embiid and star forward LeBron James, and the team is figuring out plans for the rest of the preseason and back-to-backs during the season.

Embiid has a lot of work to do to shed his injury-prone label, and he appeared to lose a significant amount of weight during the offseason:

James hyped Embiid's offseason preparation when he spoke with reporters during Monday's media day.

"Jo is one of the most talented guys we have in the world," James told reporters. "… For him, it's all about health. … I see he's put in a lot of work on his body, put in a lot of work on his game, put in a lot of work on his mentals this offseason."

Adding James in free agency propelled the Sixers to the top of the list of title contenders in the Eastern Conference. Philadelphia also acquired star guard Jaylen Brown to pair with the talented backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.

Still, keeping Embiid healthy could be the key to the Sixers' success. At full strength, the 32-year-old was one of the most dominant forces in the NBA with three straight years averaging at least 30 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, one steal and one block from 2021 to 2024.

If Embiid can return to his old form, Philadelphia could finally achieve the deep playoff run that has eluded the team for over two decades.