2023-2024 Sixers Season

[zambonir]

Yup, for sure the new policy is partially to blame. Had they just decided not to play him in Denver with proper notice there wouldn't be anything to investigate, at least.

But in the big picture not sure the policy matters. He only played 66 games last year and 68 the year before. The former was his career-high. He's always been hurt in the playoffs. The NBA rules are ultimately meaningless and unnecessary if the only way to preserve his health for April and May is to keep him at 50 or 60 games, and you likely don't win the MVP if that's the case.

Problem is you also might not earn a Top 4 seed either (as we're also seeing from Joel's current absences. For all their flaws, Simmons and Harden could carry a team through those a bit better).

[phillychuck]

Chamberlain was Embiid's size and relatively healthy.

[xogfog]

Chamberlain was a world class athlete. He did get knee problems when he was older.

[phillychuck]

Embiid, I think, fits into the world class athlete category, too. It is unusual for a human being of that size to stay healthy.

[xogfog]

All NBA players are world class athletes, really, but Chamberlain was a multi-sport athlete, Track and Field, Volleyball... He also played at 250-260 over his first 10 seasons. Part of why he averaged more minutes than regulation time, partly because he never fouled out, but he never came off the floor.

[phillychuck]

If you watched Chamberlain back then, he didn't often run the floor, either. He would rebound, outlet, and then jog into the front court if they needed him. Saved his energy for all 48 minutes!

And Georges Niang is not a world class athlete; nor was Glenn Davis. But the few exceptions prove the rule.

[zambonir]

For sure Wilt, but different game, competition (especially one-on-one), travel, schedules. Of course he played tons of minutes. And in theory you'd think todays guys are in better shape. But...

I reckon NBA big men are a bit like MLB pitchers, the human body just isn't mean to bear that weight for so long and with such force, just like an elbow or shoulder isn't meant to hold up at 98mph repeatedly.

[bkox]

Reigning MVP Joel Embiid diagnosed with meniscus injury in left knee, timetable...

[schillingfan]

Meniscus tear is probably the least bad injury.injury. Rest often works, surgery only requires a few weeks recovery probably best to get the surgery and take the time off being ready for playoffs. Surgery or not, he should not be back for a couple of weeks, as it will only get torn worse, and not heal itself if he plays.

[zambonir]

Article says surgery would end his season. 2-3 months would be an aggressive recovery timetable. 3 to 6 for civilians (I've had it myself and it was like 2-4, 4 being when I skied). Kawhi had it last June 6 and needed the entire off-season.

It's good news only if the tear is minor and he doesn't need, or can delay, surgery. Which I think will probably be the case, but there's probably more than just that going on in there, and he won't be 100%. But when is he ever?

[schillingfan]

Tyrese Maxey was selected All -star reserve. Team will need him.

[zambonir]

It's time

LeBron mum on player option, hourglass tweet

All kidding aside if he refuses the option and was interested I could think of worse short-term solutions to the team taking 1 or 2 more shots with Joel. But I assume he's also going to want to engineer playing with his son somehow.

[zambonir]

Sixers have announced too, but more vaguely.

BREAKING: 76ers star Joel Embiid — the reigning MVP — will undergo a procedure this week to repair a left meniscus injury, a team official tells ESPN. A recovery timeline is expected after procedure, but expectation is that he will miss an extended period of time. pic.twitter.com/9c3ZqM7iT2

— Adrian Wojnarowski ( @wojespn ) February 5, 2024

[bkeich]

End of season.

Closure of the window to win with Embiid?

Even if he comes back this year, he will be out of shape and not the dominating player he is now. He will also be fragile and let’s face it, teams will know how to knock him out if the team starts winning a series. Banging knees is very easy to do.

I fear this may have been the chance. Assuming they were going to add a “big” piece, I think we had a shot. Now I assume they hold on to their cap room and try to add someone in the offseason, but it isn’t clear that anyone willing to come to join Embiid and Maxey will put them over the top.

Not taking Tatum when they had the chance (and holding on to the other top pick) probably doomed “The Process”. It is the one mistake that could never be compensated.

[xogfog]

I could be wrong, but this might be an arthroscopic procedure, in which it is likely he will be back before the playoffs. The question is, once they know after the procedure how long he’ll be out, if they expect him back for the playoffs, do they make a trade for someone like DeRozan to keep a playoff spot, or do they write off the season and prepare for next season’s big reboot.

[zambonir]

They are all arthroscopic procedures, the question is are they just trimming off the damaged tissue, which could be 6-8 weeks, or more, which is likely season-ending.

I don't think it changes that much this season though. There really wasn't actually a championship-affecting trade piece out there. Joel's health was always the main piece. They are doomed without him and this severe an injury but were likely doomed if he had just a nagging injury, or another one.

"Cap room" in and of itself isn't necessarily of great value in the off-season either, as so few teams actually just straight-up sign unrestricted free agents. It's almost always sign-and trade so they have to decide how and when they can use all these expiring contracts or if they can flip some of them for picks now. I suspect they won't go into full seller mode (which would mean trading Harris) and will actually try to add pieces so long as it doesn't squander too much for the off-season.

[phillychuck]

According to the Philly writers and social-media sports doctors they interviewed, there are two choices for the procedure (which will be decided today) -- a six-week recovery for "trimming and smoothing" or a season ending surgery which includes a stitched repair. The season ending procedure is much less common for a "flap"-type injury, again according to the Philly beats.

If you are a rose-colored glasses kind of person, if the procedure is the 6-week recovery, he comes back in mid-March, the Sixers get the 6-seed or so, he stays in shape with non-weight-bearing conditioning, and he is back to full speed by the playoffs, except with much lower mileage than usual. Maybe this is actually a good shot at a title...

[VoteForKalas]

I think Embiid being down make it is more important, not less, that Morey get on the stick and make this team better.

The entire premise of winning with Embiid has always been to give him a team where he does not need to play max minutes and carry almost the entire offensive and defensive load. Morey has done that in pieces, but never fully achieved it.

The time for patience and waiting for next year is over IMO - you have a very limited window to maximize Embiid + whatever other talent you can gather and the clock continues to tick away.

It is all-in now or, if not, you're better off trading Embiid for whatever value he has left and building around Maxey. Obviously, this works best if Embiid can come back for the playoffs, but regardless Morey should do whatever he can to improve this team and help them make a run this season.

[zambonir]

I don't think they know what kind of procedure it's going to be until he is on the table. I was there the day the Blazers announced that when Greg Oden went in for what they thought was going to be minor surgery it turned out to to be major and season-ending so I always expect the worst.

But even in the best-case scenario I think the truth is closer to bkeich's fear. Even if Joel is every bit as driven and well-conditioned as Bryce Harper (which, when it comes to the latter, he's not) and has the more minimal surgery, and even if he's back in six weeks rather than eight, he's probably not going to be the player he needs to be (just as Bryce wasn't for a while after both his injuries). The Sixers will get bounced before he can get to that level.

I think the only future choices are, continue to roll with Joel and Maxey, or trade both of them.

[bkeich]

I think Embiid being down make it is more important, not less, that Morey get on the stick and make this team better.

I actually feel for Morey, he is an awful position now. If Embiid is basically done for the year, my guess they will stand pat, but honestly they should SELL, and SELL hard. Anyone not named Maxey. They have assets that they could throw into trades that other teams are making and get picks back, they have a shocking number of expiring contracts, which are valuable. Teams that are trying to win something need those expiring contracts to make deals balance.

If Embiid is supposed to be back in a month, then obviously you suck it up and try and get a player to keep us above water until then and pray Embiid can make it through the playoffs before he breaks down.

Morey needs a crystal ball, because we can assume the doctor's are non-committal on what will happen. Bad situation, could not have hit at a worse time for the franchise.