The Philadelphia Sixers' outlook changed drastically this offseason when they traded for Jaylen Brown and signed LeBron James. They suddenly became a team that can actually compete for a championship, which brings a lot of pressure, a lot of which won't fall on James' shoulders, but on Joel Embiid's.
LeBron doesn't need to prove anything with Philadelphia, though it would add to his legacy if he helped lead them to a title for the first time since 1983, one year before James was born. He's no stranger to pressure, anyway, and has delivered time and time again on basketball's biggest stages.
Now, it's time to see if Embiid can do the same, specifically, if he can stay healthy enough, at least to make it to the playoffs. The Sixers are in the best position they've been in since drafting him in 2024 to win a championship, and while the contributions from the other four starters will obviously play a large role in that, it's the center who could make or break their title hopes.
The pressure is on Joel Embiid
Like James, Embiid is accustomed to pressure, but unlike LeBron, he hasn't done what erases most of it—winning a title. It hasn't been for lack of trying, but rather because his body, specifically his knees, has given out on him.
The good news is that Embiid seems to be in great shape. Yes, you've been fooled by summer workout videos before, but at this point in the offseason, all you can ask for is him to be healthy and in the gym working. You can check both of those things off.
Whether he will be able to sustain the shape he's in is the question, and if he doesn't, he'll be put in an even harsher spotlight than the ones he's been under before. It's unfair, as it's not like Embiid doesn't want to be on the court, but it's just the reality of the situation.
Philadelphia signed him to a three-year, $193 million extension before the 2024-25 season (after he played only 39 games the year before), and it will start this season. It's not Embiid's fault that the Sixers gave him that money, but it'll be one of the first things that people bring up (again) if he fails to live up to expectations.
The Brown trade put added pressure on Embiid, landing yet another star in Philadelphia, but LeBron's arrival multiplied it. Every missed shot, turnover, and Sixers loss will be scrutinized even more than they already were. Some people will even question James' legacy, as absurd as that is to say, but that won't compare to the microscope Embiid will be under.
You already know Embiid is up for the challenge, but will he be able to handle it?
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