Joel Embiid Says He's 'Sacrificed a Lot' While Prioritizing 76ers' Winning

As the Philadelphia 76ers look to turn their disappointing season around, there appears to be a fissure in the locker room. Al Horford admitted as much while speaking with reporters Wednesday.

Meanwhile, All-Star center Joel Embiid sounds like someone who wants the players around him to "sacrifice" the way he has, per Noah Levick of NBC Sports Philadelphia. 

"Sacrificing. How we played last year, obviously a different structure, the ball movement was better, and this year we've got different players. I've sacrificed a lot, trying to make everybody feel comfortable, and that's normal.

"We've all got to sacrifice and if it means taking less shots just to make sure everyone is happy and keep winning, then that's what we've got to do. But at the same time, we've still got to understand what's going on around us and how we can help each other be better."

Embiid's counting stats are down across the board from last season, and he's dealing with awkward spacing fits in the Sixers' shooting-challenged starting lineup. The 7-footer often has to play farther from the basket than preferred because of Ben Simmons' refusal to shoot jumpers. When Simmons isn't handling the ball, head coach Brett Brown often likes to place him in the "dunker spot" on the baseline, which pushes Embiid out on the perimeter.

Simmons' years-in-the-making jump shot has not progressed to the point that he's comfortable taking them. Horford is also a capable-but-not-great three-point shooter, and Josh Richardson's shooting stroke isn't comparable to that of JJ Redick.

The Sixers' playoff lineups last season allowed Tobias Harris to play as a stretch 4 alongside Embiid, with Jimmy Butler and Redick on the wing and Simmons at point guard. While still imperfect, that roster construction was much more in line with modern basketball.

The Sixers also haven't been world-beaters on defense. They rank sixth in defensive efficiency, which is solid but not on par with the suffocating potential of the roster.

It's unclear who needs to sacrifice and where the disconnect is within the Sixers locker room. With that said, Horford and Embiid's comments speak to a discord that's spilling out onto the floor and threatening to derail the Sixers' season.