No team in the NBA is in a worse position than the 76ers, who are on the verge of collapse after pairing Joel Embiid with Paul George this summer. With Embiid now set to miss the season, his future has fallen under doubt and if he doesn’t get better, the 76ers may have to consider a drastic method to get him off the payroll.
“At that point, an independent doctor selected by the NBA and NBPA would examine Embiid,” wrote Keith Smith. “If agreed he can no longer play, his remaining contract would be wiped off the books for the Sixers.”
Since being drafted third overall in 2014, Joel Embiid has always struggled to stay healthy. He missed his first two years in the league due to injuries, and he’s had many seasons cut short due to various health concerns. He’s already set to miss this season and if he’s also sidelined into the next season, the 76ers may have a case to have his remaining contract cleared from the payroll.
Embiid, 31, is owed $292 million over the next four years. As a former MVP and 7x All-Star, Joel’s services do not come cheap and he’s a beast on the floor, but he’s dead weight if he’s consistently unavailable to play. In that scenario, the best choice for Philly would be opting for a medical retirement for the star big man so they can finally move on.
The medical retirement process, which is reserved for those who suffer a career-ending injury or illness, involves working with league-approved doctors who would examine Embiid to determine if he is fit to play. It’s rare for teams to resort to this method, but it has been used in extreme cases before.
Chris Bosh is the most recent example of a player who has been forced into medical retirement. After suffering from a pulmonary embolism, Bosh had to retire early and the Heat were ultimately released from having to pay out the remainder of his max contract.
It’s still a long way off for the 76ers, but Embiid could be the next if this trajectory continues (59 games played over the last two seasons). At 30 years old, Joel isn’t getting any younger and it will only get harder to avoid injuries as he plays more and more seasons.
For now, however, the 76ers are still committed to building a contender around the All-NBA big man. With career averages of 27.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, and 0.9 blocks per game, Joel is the face of the Sixers and when he’s healthy they are consistently near the top of the Eastern standings.
Lately, however, Joel hasn’t been playing up to his standards and it could be a sign that his best days on the court have already passed. Amid nagging knee injuries, that may require a radical procedure to heal, Embiid had one of his worst seasons ever in the NBA with averages of 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists per game on 44.4% shooting.
After signing Paul George this summer, the 76ers expected to be in contention for the title but Joel’s current state has cut their season short. At 20-38 (12th in the East), the 204-25 campaign may as well be a lost cause for the Sixers.
The only plan going forward is to consider surgery for Embiid so he can have one last chance to make a title run at the peak of his powers. Only with Embiid in MVP form can this team hope to make a run, but it remains to be seen if Embiid can be consistently great like that again.
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