Philadelphia 76ers: Two factors will determine Joel Embiid’s 2019-20 success
The Philadelphia 76ers have an MVP candidate. Here’s how he maximizes that potential.
It’s fun to debate the impact of complementary pieces and secondary stars, but sometimes a team’s success rides on one central force. For the Philadelphia 76ers, it’s Joel Embiid — a generational talent and undisputed top-10 player. If the Sixers win a title, it will land largely on Embiid’s shoulders.
The 7-foot-2 Cameroonian is coming off his best season yet, which yielded a second All-Star appearance, fringe MVP consideration and defensive honors. He looks primed for an even better campaign in 2019-20, working hard on his body over the summer.
In the end, two factors sit above all else when determining what will make (or eventually break) Embiid’s fourth season. He’s too good to flunk completely, but when speaking in terms of Philadelphia’s lofty aspirations, this will constitute the degree to which Embiid succeeds.
1. Load management/health
When it comes to MVP odds, this will hurt Embiid. Even if he’s fully healthy and in top basketball shape, the Sixers should proceed with absolute and total caution next season. We saw the benefits of load management with Kawhi Leonard. We saw the adverse effects with Embiid.
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Last season, the Sixers pushed Embiid hard early in the campaign and didn’t make up much ground late. Considering the Sixers’ depth, their overarching goals and Embiid’s prior health record, there’s no reason to push his minutes to extreme lengths.
While 33.7 minutes for the season isn’t a massive number, it marked a significant uptick for Embiid compared to seasons past. He also suffered nagging injuries late in the season. In addition to limited minutes, Embiid should get scheduled rest days — especially on back-to-backs.
That’s one of the primary reasons for Al Horford‘s arrival, beyond his brilliance as a player. Horford can spell Embiid at the five and keep Philadelphia afloat in his absence, something the Sixers have struggled with. That should green-light more proactive rest plans during the regular season.
2. Decision making
Embiid is an elite talent. He’s a dynamic interior scorer, combing footwork, finesse and power similar to the position’s all-time greats. He can also space the floor, dribble in space and punish bigger, slower centers on the perimeter. There’s a lot to his game.
But when it comes to crunch time and the postseason, there have been moments of weakness for Embiid. He struggles to read double teams, at times coughing up turnovers or ill-advised shots as a result. There are also instances of settling for inefficient, low-probably mid-rangers.
While Embiid can’t and shouldn’t bang in the post every possession — especially in the regular season — there’s often room for more balance. His best attribute is putting pressure on the rim, which warps defenses to a considerable degree. With that comes a need for better passing.
We have seen tangible growth in Embiid’s passing already. He averaged 3.7 assists per game last season, a number higher than most players who share his position. But given Embiid’s usage rate, constant double teams and the teammates around him, Embiid should be more liberal with his ball movement.
Next. Sixers could have four All-Stars next season. dark
If the Sixers can get Embiid to trim the fat on his shot selection and implement more passing into a dynamic interior game, his MVP odds (and positive impact) will shoot up drastically. He’s already a massively important piece to Philadelphia’s offense. The idea of room for improvement should frighten opposing teams.