The season hasn’t even started for the Philadelphia 76’ers, yet their star player is already ruling out games in which he won’t play in.
Spoiler alert, it’s every back-to-back.
Embiid has already been ruled out for the season-openerGetty
Talking to ESPN, Joel Embiid made it clear that he’s going to be prioritizing his health and managing his work load not only all season, but for the rest of his career.
“If I had to guess, I would probably never play back-to-backs the rest of my career,” Embiid said.
TNT’s crew over on Inside the NBA weren’t thrilled with what the former MVP had to say.
Specifically Hall of Fame big men, Charles Barkley and Shaquille O’Neal.
“I was so disappointed in Joel Embiid when said he wasn’t gonna play back-to-back games,” Barkley said.
“You’re one of the three or four or five best players in the world. You cannot say as a leader of that team, ‘I’m not gonna play certain games.’
“That’s not the way to start the season.
“Now if you start the season and you get some bumps and bruises, but as the best player on that team and the leader, I would never go into a season saying I’m not gonna play back-to-back games.”
O’Neal took what Barkley had to say and piled on, with a bit more bluntness.
“It doesn’t make sense, the league isn’t that physical for him to say that.
“He’s a pick-and-popper. He’s not a big guy. You know, me and Charles try to get him to play, being told, ‘Oh, the game is different’
“We’re not playing. You pick and pop. You don’t get doubled, you don’t get tripled, you don’t get flagrant fouled.
“There’s no reason to say I’m not playing back-to-back.”
The Sixers have already ruled out Embiid and fellow star Paul George ahead of their season opener against Giannis Antetokounmpo and the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday night.
Philly signed George to a four-year $212 million max contract in free agency over the summer and signed Embiid to a three-year $193 million extension in September.
Neither will be on the floor for game one of the season.
Not great for a team with legitimate title aspirations.
Until then, budding star point guard Tyrese Maxey is going to have to do the heavy lifting.
And apparently, if Embiid is good for his word, Maxey will have to be doing a majority of the heavy lifting throughout the season, seeing as Embiid won’t play in back-to-backs.
Something that Barkley and O’Neal can’t even believe.
