In a chat with ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, 76ers star Joel Embiid spoke candidly about his load management plans for the upcoming campaign. While he admitted to hating the practice, Embiid says he will comply with the 76ers’ health plan if it calls for him to ease off during the season.
“It’ll be tough,” Embiid said. “They know that if they have to punch me, slap me, take my stuff away from me [to] not to get on that court, they’re going to have to do it. I might get mad, I might curse people out, but I think it’s a relationship. We’ve been working together for years now. Now I look at the big picture, and I’ve always listened to them, but now it’s even more of the time where I should listen and see what they have to say.”
Embiid has always been highly competitive and he’s played through many injuries before from a fractured right orbital bone to a sprained knee. Whatever the case, none of it has been enough to keep Embiid healthy for the playoffs and his injury history in the spring stretches offensively long.
At 30 years old, Embiid has yet to make it past the first round of the playoffs and that’s despite having a variety of All-Star teammates including Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, and James Harden.
This season, he’ll have Paul George to watch his back and both stars are excited for the possibilities. As one of the best three-and-D players in the league, George should make an ideal pairing next to Embiid, who averaged 34.7 points per game last season.
With James Harden and Tyrese Maxey, Embiid was on track for a historic season before an injury sidelined him for most of the 2023-24 campaign. Now in the aftermath of a 3-year, $193 million extension, Embiid is desperate to break the cycle and stay fully healthy for the first time in his career.
In the past, Joel has used load management tactics to preserve his health, such as avoiding back-to-backs and limiting his minutes against the NBA’s bottom feeders. This year, however, Embiid might take the tactics to a whole new level.
With eight years of experience racked up, the 76ers intend to take special care of Embiid’s health and will not take any unnecessary risks. To ensure Embiid’s health through the whole season, the 76ers will not let him play through any type of injury and they will shut him down if there are any hints of pain before a game.
It’ll be a rude awakening for Embiid but with so much desperation to make a run, he’s willing to do whatever it takes to increase the odds. If taking it easy in the regular season is best for his durability then it may be the best way to go, even if it costs Embiid a chance at another MVP.
With Paul George, Tyrese Maxey, and a cast of veteran role players, the e76ers have spared no expense to win the title and their best path for success is a healthy Embiid when it matters most.
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