Joel Embiid has seldom been available for the Philadelphia 76ers this season. He’s been dealing with a knee injury and the effects of surgery last summer. Embiid suited up for the Sixers 19 times this season before being shut down for the rest of the basketball year.
According to Marcus Morris, part of Embiid’s problem is that he isn’t being held accountable. The 13-year NBA veteran believes Daryl Morey must add some more leaders to the Sixers locker room.
“Being there and being in that locker room, I can tell you first-hand that Daryl Morey does not hold Joel Embiid accountable,” Morris said on a recent episode of ESPN’s First Take. “You need guys around him to hold him accountable. That has to start up top. Injuries happen. Why do these injuries happen? Because a player or whoever it is doesn’t have the guys on to him saying, ‘Listen, you need to be in the best shape.’ Your guy needs to be perfect.”
Morris continued.
“I believe that these two surgeries actually wake him up,” Morris said. “You got to have people around him, you build the team a different way going into this offseason, and you focus on making sure his diet is perfect. When I was there, he didn’t have anyone to tell him day-to-day that this is what it takes to make sure you stay on the court.”
Embiid has dealt with conditioning issues throughout his career. At 31 years old, the former MVP must get himself in better shape. Otherwise, he’s risking ending his playing career without a championship trophy.
Sixers and Embiid had ‘Friction’ Over Injury
ESPN’s Shams Charania recently reported that the Sixers and Embiid disagreed on how best to approach his injury and recovery.
“There was some tension there between Joel Embiid and that front office, from my understanding,” Charania said on an April 3 episode of NBA Today. “The team believed he needed to play at some points of the season, that he needed to get his conditioning right through playing and getting better that way. He felt like he needed surgery. He ends up getting the surgery.”
Charania’s reporting likely plays into what Morris was discussing. Stronger leadership would have likely resolved the issue with Embiid earlier in the year. It was clear he would likely need another surgery. Trying to force him back on the court made no sense for either party.
Embiid is Set For Surgery
Embiid is set to undergo surgery at some point in the week commencing April 7. ESPN’s Shams Charania made the report via an April 2 post on X.
“Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid will undergo arthroscopic surgery on his left knee next week, a team official tells ESPN,” Charania reported. “Embiid was ruled out for season in late February as he and the 76ers met with doctors to determine the best treatment to alleviate his knee issues.”
At present, there is no reported timeline for Embiid’s return to basketball activities. He could be ready to go by the start of next season. Or, he could miss a portion of the 2025-26 campaign. Whatever happens, the focus must be on getting him back to 100%. After all, the Sixers’ best chance of success is with Embiid leading the way.
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