People are hyping up the Philadelphia 76ers’ reported dysfunction when there’s nothing much to talk about.
Hosting his daily show on FS1, Colin Cowherd dropped this statement while praising LeBron James‘ decision to join the Lakers. He noted the Rockets’ slow start, the Spurs’ quick deterioration and the Philadelphia 76ers‘ dysfunction since adding Jimmy Butler.
The Lakers, however, are a deep young team who needed a “centralized leader” in Cowherd’s eyes. While there are several holes in that theory, the reported dysfunction in the Sixers’ locker room is easily the most egregious. It’s a report getting blown way out of proportion.
After sitting against the Pistons last week — something Joel Embiid was clearly not a fan of — he tried to explain the reason for his recent struggles. Since he doesn’t want to rest, Embiid wasn’t going to admit tired legs. He blamed his role, criticizing the coaches for slotting him on the perimeter too often.
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Here’s the full quote from Keith Pompey:
"“I haven’t been myself lately. I think it’s mainly because of the way I’ve been used, which is I’m being used as a spacer, I guess, a stretch-five, which I’m only shooting [29] percent [from three-point range]. But it seems like the past couple games, like with the way I play, our setup, [coach Brett Brown] always has me starting on the perimeter … and it just really frustrates me.My body feels great, and it’s just I haven’t been playing well. We sometimes have to space the floor, a lot of time, actually, with the way our plays are set up, I tend to spend a lot of time on the perimeter. So it’s an adjustment.” — Philly.com"
Embiid does call out Brett Brown’s decision to use him on the perimeter. He does mention the “last couple games,” which would refer to games in which Jimmy Butler was a member of the Philadelphia 76ers.
But nowhere in that quote does he mention Jimmy, nor does he blame Jimmy’s presence for his struggles. He’s just venting frustration with his recent play after sitting a game he didn’t want to sit. End of story.
Naturally, the media narrative pushed Embiid-Butler beef that simply doesn’t exist. There’s no dysfunction in Philadelphia. Embiid is averaging more post touches and more post-ups per game since Butler’s arrival. His role, contrary to his statement, hasn’t really changed.
The Sixers still run the offense through Embiid first, Ben Simmons second and Butler third. Those roles might shift to some degree in the fourth quarter, but Embiid remains the Sixers’ best player and their focal point. Even Butler admitted as much.
Since adding Butler, the Sixers are 10-3, including 8-2 in their last 10 games. The Sixers still boast the best home-court record in the NBA at 14-1. Add in a virtual tie for second in the East, and the Sixers’ current “dysfunction” seems to be serving the team well.
Always read the quote before running with a narrative.