As if to signify a major pivot in the coming offseason, the Philadelphia 76ers made a bold move early on, parting ways with team president Daryl Morey after nearly six years with the franchise. However, in doing so, they might have just given superstar big man Joel Embiid something to be wary about. At its extreme, the worst part is it could even push him away from the team.
The reason for that is simple –– while the 76ers certainly sent a bold statement by moving on from the longtime executive, the team did not really succeed in addressing the real issue. At the core of this franchise’s problems is the fact that its ownership group has become consistent in being inconsistent, and the fact that they remain unaccountable for their ugly positions could eventually trigger Embiid in a not-so-ideal way.
For better or for worse, Philly is going to be locked into another very costly saga with Embiid. His albatross extension only kicks in next season, and given how exorbitant his contract is, it is tough to envision a breakup being voluntary among both camps. That makes it all the more crucial for the team to keep him happy for them to be able to make the most of his talents, but so far, it is difficult to say that they have done just that.
The 76ers are failing to keep Joel Embiid happy so far
Just recently, reports have popped up that Embiid has had some discord with the front office for the decisions they have made as of late –– a matter which can ultimately be traced down to the team’s ownership adopting the same, non-progressive approach when it comes to building the roster.
Heck, right before the trade deadline this year, Embiid told reporters that he would prefer that the 76ers avoid ducking the luxury tax. Instead, what ended up transpiring was a complete 180 of what he said. The front office, with the imprimatur of the ownership group led by Josh Harris, made the decision to trade Jared McCain away, ridding the team of one of its building blocks for the future in order to cut costs.
Those are the kind of moves that can turn off a superstar, even someone as devoted and committed as Embiid. Truly, by refusing to acknowledge the root cause of their problems, the 76ers are only veering into the frightening possibility that their best player, whom they owe significant money moving forward, could lose his fire due to the defective engine running the team.
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