Joel Embiid has been the subject of criticism from a lot of NBA experts and fans due to his injury issues, which stem from a long time before his MVP season in 2022-23. And even now, several experts and analysts are criticizing the big man, encouraging the 76ers to trade him or asking other teams to make reasonable offers due to the fall in his value due to injury struggles since the dominant big man’s MVP season.
The Warriors’ veteran Draymond Green believes that the NBA world is being too harsh on Embiid and not giving him sufficient time to recover from his injury. Green addressed the criticism that Embiid has been facing on the latest episode of ‘The Draymond Green Show’.
“I know there’s been a lot of talk on Embiid and how he looks and what the future of his career is. You know, a lot of people said he looks like a shell of himself, etc,” said Green.
“What I remind you of is this. He missed the majority of last year with a knee injury that wasn’t just injured last year but has been bothering him and has been an issue over the course of time.”
“He needed surgery on that knee injury. He’s been working his way back from that. Missed the beginning of the season, and then just got back from a knee injury. And I find it a little unfair that everyone’s like, “Oh man, he’s a shell in himself. You know, he’s not the player he once was.”
“Again, he’s coming off a knee injury. That takes time. Oftentimes, when guys are coming off knee injuries, it’s sometimes more mental than physical. You know, it’s gaining the belief in, ‘I can jump. I can explode fast. It is all right to push off. It is all right to go,” said Green while explaining how bouncing back from injuries is a psychological battle.
“It’s the mental barrier that a lot of guys have to get over when coming back from these injuries. And I just think because we know Embiid has been hurt, everybody’s like, “It’s over. He’s done.”
“He’s working himself back right now, back into shape. He’s getting his timing back, his explosiveness back. So, when you talk about the future of his career, I still think he’s special.”
“I do think it’s going to take him some time to get there. And so, I was just saying to people, have some grace. Like, it takes some time when you’re rehabbing from these injuries. It’s hard to just, you know, for somebody of Embiid’s size coming off a knee injury, the way he plays, and just jumping back into it and like getting right back to it. That’s tough, and it takes some time.”
“So often, I think people put their foot in their mouth because they jump to conclusions too fast. So, everybody wants to jump to a conclusion like, ‘Oh man, he’s done. He can’t move anymore.'”
“He ain’t not moving great right now, but not many people their first two weeks back off a off a knee surgery are moving great, and that takes time to get that, and over the course of the season I think that’ll come. So, as I said, just have a little grace for the big fella. He still is who he is, and I think as this season goes on, everybody will see that,” concluded Green.
Weighing 280 lbs, Joel Embiid is among the top five heaviest players in the NBA. At seven feet tall, it is tough for anybody to get back to being an elite athlete after missing extended time. At age 31, there’s not a lot of time that is left in what could be the prime phase of his career.
After his season ended early last year due to issues with his left knee, Embiid entered the 2025-26 season looking to bounce back. But just a few games into this season, his right knee started acting up this time, and he missed nine consecutive games for the 76ers before returning in the last game in their double overtime loss to the Hawks.
So far, Embiid is averaging 19.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.1 assists in the seven games he played for the 76ers, who have a 10-9 regular season record. He shot 45.5% from the field and an inefficient 29% from beyond the arc. These numbers are nowhere close to the MVP caliber player that Embiid used to be.
Joel Embiid will not be playing tonight’s game between the 76ers and the Wizards, since he has been listed as sidelined due to ‘right knee injury recovery’ on the 76ers’ latest injury report. But one key thing to notice is that instead of mentioning soreness or right knee injury management, the injury report says ‘recovery,’ which likely indicates that it is only a measure to rest his knee and no signs of any aggravated symptoms.
I believe one of the reasons why he is being criticized extensively is that Tyrese Maxey is playing like an All-Star caliber talent to start this season. Had Embiid been healthy like in the prime of his career, his duo with Maxey, combined with talents like Paul George, Quentin Grimes, and VJ Edgecombe on the 76ers, would have been considered as title contenders potentially.
If Maxey were not performing like he is, the 76ers would likely be a lottery team presently looking to rebuild. Embiid’s performance is a crucial difference maker for the 76ers in making or breaking their playoff hopes. Hence, the NBA world is divided between pulling the plug and trading him, or staying patient with him at this time.
