Ex-Coach of the Year hits 76ers with harsh Joel Embiid reality
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The Philadelphia 76ers are under fire from Hall of Famers and facing an NBA investigation into Joel Embiid’s availability to start the season. Skeptics of the messaging and doubters of the plan are voicing their opinions with practically every bounce of the ball by someone other than Embiid. Former NBA Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell might have delivered one of the most scathing yet level-headed hot takes on the situation this season.
“Something is fishy. Something is not right,” Mitchell began. “You’ve have a whole offseason to get ready to play. (Embiid) got in decent enough shape to play in the Olympics to help (Team USA) bring home the gold.”
"Unless Joel Embiid is in shape and healthy to play in the playoffs, they're not winning with just Paul George" @SamMitchellNBA chimes in on the injury woes for the Sixers pic.twitter.com/PdpxHWd8DC
— NBA TV (@NBATV) October 25, 2024
The 61-year-old basketball lifer was not a fan of how The Process played out this summer past the Olympics.
“Congratulations,” Mitchell added sarcastically. “We were expecting from the time he got to play in the Olympics to after, when you’ve got those other two months to ramp up and get in better shape, for him to show up at the opening press conference looking better than we’ve seen in years. Now he is not physically ready to play. Something is wrong.”
Embiid did not help matters by revealing some long-term load management plans during Media Day.
“If I had to guess, I would probably never play back-to-backs the rest of my career,” Embiid shared. “‘We got to do whatever it takes to make sure that in the postseason I’m healthy.”
76ers shorthanded for the foreseeable future
The 76ers will be short two All-NBA stars for at least a few more games. Paul George is also sitting out games to start the season due to a bone bruise in the left knee. Mitchell addressed the differences.
“We saw Paul George get hurt in a preseason game,” Mitchell noted. “We saw that. We understand that. We’ve yet to see Joel Embiid step on the floor since the Olympics.
“Now to start the season and already be hurting, with all these expectations of winning the championship? That’s why went people ask about where to put Philadelphia (in the title conversation), I don’t put them anywhere. Let’s be honest. Unless Joel Embiid is in shape and healthy to play in the playoffs, they’re not winning with just Paul George.
What makes Mitchell so sure about the future in Philadelphia?
“We’ve seen this before (with the 76ers). They’ve had other good players,” said Mitchell. “They are not going to beat the Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, and others unless the MVP is healthy enough to play. We’ve yet to see (Embiid) healthy in the playoffs.”
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