Joel Embiid has been absolutely stellar for the Philadelphia 76ers this season. While injuries continue to plague him and derail his otherwise remarkable campaign, there is no doubt that he has reasserted himself as one of the best players in the league. It is not a coincidence that the squad was widely considered as the biggest darkhorse contender in the league when he was playing.
Unfortunately, that ship continues to be an unsteady one for the 76ers. Embiid continues to be a character in passing for this group, as he has been in and out of the lineup due to injuries. Previously, it was his problematic knee that was bothering him. Now, the injury bug has decided to afflict his oblique –– the reason behind his absence since February 26.
This pressing reality only hits harden when you realize that the 76ers, in reveling in Embiid's brilliance, were actually spoiled to an opportunity they missed. The ugly truth which not a lot of people want to acknowledge is that the front office should have already explored the idea of moving on from the superstar big man,.
The 76ers should have traded Joel Embiid when they were still able to
There is no use crying over spilled milk, but this recent stretch is only a reminder (not that it is anything new) that the 76ers brain trust should have long considered dealing their best player away when they were still able to. Now, that is passé, a horse that has bolted.
Embiid is still going to be in the 76ers' payroll until the 2028-29 season if he exercises his very lucrative player option. That is certainly a bold timeline for a player who barely even plays for a long stretch. He can be safely pegged to miss half of the regular season at the very least on a yearly basis, so his contracting extending that far cannot possibly be construed in any other way aside from it being a net negative.
There is no way out of Embiid's contract now. As such, the 76ers have no other choice but to keep devising new ways to make do with their constantly makeshift configurations due to all the injuries they are facing, especially when it comes to the one player who determines their ceiling as a collective.
For now, Joel Embiid remains out of commission. And with the 76ers fighting for their lives to return to the playoffs, there is no incentive for a look-back, which sucks.