Copyright Heavy.
The Philadelphia 76ers and Chicago Bulls are the only remaining undefeated teams in the Eastern Conference. If you lived under a rock, perhaps you would think that Joel Embiid and Paul George are finally healthy and playing at a high level. The reality, somehow, seems even more unlikely than that. Embiid has played a total of 40 minutes in those three games. George and Jared McCain are yet to make their season debuts. Instead, Tyrese Maxey and rookie VJ Edgecombe appear to be the best backcourt duo in the entire NBA. Embiid appeared in the first two games, scoring four and 20 points, respectively. In their 125-121 win over the Charlotte Hornets, he looked capable, although a far cry from his All-NBA norm. For the Sixers, an active Embiid might be their best hope. Chances are, he will never be back in MVP form. Simply keeping him on the court must be the goal. Philadelphia 76ers Are No Longer Joel Embiid’s Team This should be a tough pill for fans and the front office to swallow, but a necessary one: Embiid can’t be the centerpiece of a winning team. He is unreliable, and, recently, has not played winning basketball. Of course, his track record suggests he could return to form and prove any doubters wrong. However, until he does that, Maxey and Edgecombe need to be given the keys to the franchise. Embiid, meanwhile, needs to play a supporting role to the new stars in Philadelphia. “Saturday was our first glimpse at what could be the new normal in Philadelphia, one in which a carefully managed Embiid is preserved enough to have some impact rather than sitting games out entirely,” wrote CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn. “His minutes limit will likely increase over time, but within reason. He’s guessed that he’ll never play in another back-to-back. Some Embiid is better than none at all.” Embiid’s contract, which culminates in a $67.4 million player option in 2028-29, doesn’t lend itself to him being the third or fourth option. Having him settle into that role is the key to the Sixers’ success, whether he likes it or not. Philadelphia 76ers Are In Unique Position to Thrive Despite owing massive sums to the often-injured and unreliable duo of Embiid and George, the Sixers are primed to move away from that pairing. Getting them off the books, via a trade or contract buyout, is a far-fetched pipe dream. Even Embiid at his worst is a decent defender and interior scorer, so the Sixers simply need to adapt to his new playstyle. Luckily, Maxey and Edgecombe are perfectly equipped to take over and maximize what little talent Embiid has left. “The 76ers were never equipped for a part-time Embiid before,” Quinn added. “There are still areas in which it will be a struggle — most notably defense. But the 76ers have never come close to this sort of shot-creation depth, and that at least offers a pathway to building a viable offense without Embiid on the floor.” In the past, the offense ran through Embiid. Now, he should be used as a tool to direct Maxey and Edgecombe to their spots. Paying a maximum salary to a high-level role player isn’t the best move, although the contracts have already been signed.
