Sixers opting for best path amongst several imperfect options with Joel Embiid

Because the season started for the Sixers Wednesday night time, there was some unlucky damage information dampening what would in any other case be an thrilling season opener after an offseason that appeared to reinvigorate the fanbase. Wednesday’s sport at Wells Fargo Middle towards the Milwaukee Bucks didn’t characteristic both Joel Embiid or Paul George for the Sixers.

The George information comes as no shock after the newly acquired veteran wing participant sustained a knee damage within the preseason and luckily seems to have averted an prolonged absence. Nonetheless, Embiid being held out Wednesday and Friday in Toronto earlier than being “re-evaluated over the weekend” has raised questions on what’s occurring with the franchise cornerstone.

Dave Early wrote concerning the ambiguous messaging that’s coming from the Sixers on the Embiid entrance. Final week, Bryan Toporek wrote about how refreshing it was to see Embiid distance himself from pursuing particular person awards and deal with doing every part he can do to make sure he’s wholesome for all the postseason. I’m right here to say that each sentiments nonetheless ring true in the present day regardless of numerous followers and native media elevating additional questions on Embiid’s skill to remain wholesome.

It’s completely honest to name out the Sixers, a franchise that’s been infamous for poor transparency, for not disclosing extra info concerning their load administration plan for Embiid if the massive man just isn’t significantly injured. If he’s injured, why hasn’t an announcement been launched describing what the damage is and the way lengthy he’s going to be out?

May it’s potential that there’s one thing occurring with Embiid that’s extra critical than load administration? Completely. The Sixers haven’t earned the good thing about the doubt on these sorts of issues. However, if that is merely poorly communicated load administration, then any type of anger and frustration directed on the franchise this week will go down as a lot ado about nothing.

Had Embiid performed Wednesday, the postgame response can be one in all two issues. In a win that comes with a powerful efficiency from the previous MVP, most cynical followers would merely say “Wake me up in April.” In a loss, even when Embiid performed properly, the identical cynical portion of the fanbase would cite the loss to a fellow Jap Convention contender as an indication of issues to come back and try and brace the remainder of the fanbase for an additional early postseason exit. In different phrases, there’s not a lot to realize by rolling Embiid on the market in what remains to be only one out of 82 common season video games.

It’s time to deal with all 82 common season video games the identical if you happen to haven’t been doing that already. Nationally televised video games are enjoyable and beating marquee opponents in October-March is cool, however that’s not the purpose of the season. Due to this fact, is there actually that a lot of a distinction between Embiid taking part in Wednesday and Friday and resting subsequent week vs. Embiid sitting these first two video games and debuting in some unspecified time in the future subsequent week if that’s how this performs out?

Sadly, we’ve all grown to count on Embiid to interrupt down on the finish of the season. So now the Sixers are saying “Wake me up in April” and who can blame them? You may say what you need about how final season’s meniscus damage performed out and his participation in that dreadful common season sport at Golden State in January. Maybe I’m an everlasting optimist however I used to be holding out hope that Embiid was getting the foremost damage out of the best way and he’d return in time for a playoff run more healthy than he had been in earlier postseasons. Had the Sixers survived the Knicks, I feel many individuals would have picked them to beat the Pacers and advance to their first Jap Convention Finals in over twenty years.

The one factor you achieve by successful numerous common season video games is an improved seed within the playoffs. However we noticed the Sixers squander what seemed like a cakewalk to the convention finals in 2021 because the No. 1 seed within the East. As I simply described, the trail to the convention finals as final yr’s No. 7 seed didn’t look all that daunting both.

All of us suppose that is nonetheless a playoff crew no matter what number of video games Embiid performs this season, and so they’ve already confirmed us that their seed isn’t what’s making or breaking their skill to make a deep run. On the finish of the day, the crew is simply going to must play its greatest basketball within the spring and let the chips fall the place they could. They don’t want a totally wholesome roster for all 82 video games within the common season to determine the most effective model of themselves heading into the playoffs. Regardless of the quantity is of video games that Embiid, George and Tyrese Maxey all play in through the common season, you’re going to must be OK with that quantity being sufficient.

Moreover, what’s the higher plan of action right here? We’ve already seen Embiid be pushed into the bottom and never be capable of make it via a complete season. As beforehand talked about, delaying his season debut by per week isn’t harming anybody.

Nick Nurse load managed Kawhi Leonard to a championship in 2019. Maybe there’s one thing greater occurring with Embiid that raises bigger considerations. However we don’t know that as of in the present day so let’s not spam the web with pointless hypothesis. The Knicks simply acquired crushed by Boston Tuesday with (principally) everybody taking part in. Even with Milwaukee successful Wednesday, I feel we’ll all be OK.