The Philadelphia 76ers already have a ton on their plate this offseason, but nothing is more pressing for them than to seek clarity on the Joel Embiid situation. After a season marred by injuries on the part of the 2023 Most Valuable Player, the franchise’s direction will ultimately be decided by the progress of his recovery from injury.
For now, the 76ers remain in wait-and-see mode with their best player. Embiid has recently undergone another surgical procedure on his knee, yet given the fact that he had already taken similar routes in the past, it is honestly difficult to raise a point that is compelling enough to warrant the belief that the tables could finally turn in the regard.
At this critical juncture, the franchise should already be planning well ahead in anticipation of a situation where Embiid could no longer serve as a feasible centerpiece for the team. He is already on the wrong side fo 30, and his brief stint last season is littered with discouraging signs.
The 76ers have an unsolvable Joel Embiid problem that may never go away
Should Embiid’s steep decline from this season persist, the 76ers have to make it an urgent point to gauge the level of interest on him in the trade market. However, that is where things get a lot more tricky.
Thanks to his most recent extension last summer, Embiid is still under contract until the 2028-29 season, making a salary north of $55 million annually. That is a pretty steep price to pay, even for a player of his caliber, when you take into account his debilitating conditions.
Embiid may still be as talented as anyone in the NBA, but his body can no longer function as a sturdy husk for his greatness as a superstar. Sure, there could be some teams with enough degree of desperation to try and make a rather reckless, win-now pursuit of Embiid, but his contract is simply a huge turn-off for any prospective buyer.
As a result, the 76ers could very well be forced to ride it out with the superstar until his contract ends, unless his injury situation compels him to make a drastic decision to call it quits. If so, team-building would be a huge challenge for the front office, especially with the team having one of the most top-heavy payrolls in the league.
The Philadelphia 76ers willingly assumed the risk when it extended Joel Embiid last year. Now, they willl have to make do with the consequences, which will most likely persist until this decade ends.