The Sixer Sense
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Philadelphia 76ers: 5 theories on Joel Embiid’s health

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 11: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts at the end of the game against the New York Knicks at the Wells Fargo Center on January 11, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 11: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts at the end of the game against the New York Knicks at the Wells Fargo Center on January 11, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
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Philadelphia 76ers
LOS ANGELES, CA – MARCH 11: Injured Philadelphia 76ers player Joel Embiid, left, talks with a teammate near the bench area during a break in NBA game action between the Philadelphia 76ers and the LA Clippers at Staples Center on March 11, 2017 in Los Angeles, California. The Clippers defeated the Sixers 112-100. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Victor Decolongon/Getty Images)

The Philadelphia 76ers are sending mixed messages regarding Joel Embiid, so what possible explanations would exist?

In life, two things can be true at once. Shroedinger’s cat is both alive and dead. A movie can be a tragedy and comedy and Joel Embiid can be both healthy and fragile. Most people crave certainty in a world that is ever-changing, evolving and shifting below our feet. Only because Joel Embiid is so dear to us, and his talent is so immense do we struggle so much with his seemingly never-ending uncertain health status.

Seems like the team views him as healthy but isn’t sure how his body will respond to a workload.

So given all of these mixed messages, let’s look at five reasonable(ish) explanations. I’m going to rank these in order of most to least reasonable.

Possible Explanation 1 – Embiid can’t be trusted to be careful

The Philadelphia 76ers have made no secret that Joel Embiid is the franchise cornerstone both on the court and in the public image. The team also knows that the sheer exuberance that makes Embiid so compelling to the entire NBA world is what puts him most at risk of future injury.

This theory posits that Joel is healthy, everything is fine, but they want to keep him in bubble wrap until it actually matters. When you watch Embiid play a few things stand out.

  1. He is reckless with his body.
  2. He still needs to learn how to land properly.

Let’s say you had an Italian supercar. It was the most amazing driving experience of your life but the darn thing is temperamental due to the sheer stress of a 1000 horsepower engine. You love the car for the same reasons that you don’t to drive it to work.

The Philadelphia 76ers may just want to keep the reins on Embiid until he’s proven not to be a danger to himself.