In what has been a season worth forgetting about in every respect, the Philadelphia 76ers are now coming to the realization that their ills are nowhere near close to stopping from piling up. They are headed to a clear ordeal — one that could have chilling effects for the franchise for the foreseeable future and beyond.
On the heels of a soul-shattering loss that sent them to a slippery slope and 12th place in the East, the 76ers are apparently yielding to the voice of reason this time as Joel Embiid seems poised to end his season early.
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, Philadelphia’s brass and Embiid’s camp are seeking alternative routes to address his nagging knee issue, which has clearly prevented him from playing like his usual self. Over the last couple of games since returning from the All-Star break, Embiid has totaled just 29 points combined.
The 76ers are now realizing the irreversible damage they have done
Embiid’s health is foremost on this end, but this situation also contemplates a hard and lasting look at the irreversible damage the 76ers have inflicted unto themselves.
There is little reason to believe that Embiid’s persistent injury issue would clear up anytime soon, but given how the franchise has operated recently, there is also no reason to believe why they would be able to pivot off of this one quickly enough to stop reeling from its aftereffects.
The 76ers, after all, extended a handsome extension to Embiid just before the season began, and the way the roster is constructed, they are still operating under the belief that the MVP version of himself can definitively return which, at this point, is a massive gambit.
If anyone says the Philly has paralyzed itself as a franchise, you’d be hard-pressed to mount any disagreement. Aside from their decision to stick with Embiid without hesitation, the 76ers have also followed that up with equally questionable choices, such as continuing to play him despite a lost cause of a season, and signing Paul George in the first place.
The way the squad is set up, the 76ers could be looking at a stretch of mediocrity. After all, a drastic change is needed for this team, yet even with any kind of financial gymnastics they can muster, there is simply no easy way out for the franchise.
Quite frankly, the Philadelphia 76ers could be entering another grim stretch as a franchise. You’d think they’ll be desensitized by now, but that’s hard to envision when all of these wounds are self-inflicted.