Report: 76ers Sought Half A Dozen Medical Opinions Before Signing Joel Embiid To $192 Million Extension

According to NBA insider Ramona Shelburne of ESPN, the Philadelphia 76ers sought half a dozen medical opinions before signing Joel Embiid to a three-year, $192 million extension in September. 

Embiid has only played in four games this season. 

“The team and Embiid had sought half a dozen medical opinions before signing him to a three-year, $192.7M extension this September, sources said, and all of those consulted believed his knee could be adequately managed by a combination of strategic rest and procedures to promote healing, which Embiid has been regularly undergoing since last season,” Shelburne reported. “Both the team and Embiid hoped his troublesome knee would be healthy enough to start the season, sources said. Yet week after week, the Sixers would issue updates that he was still out, but they were hopeful he’d be ready soon.

“At first it seemed as though he simply needed more time to work his way back into shape after taking time off following the Summer Olympics. But as the preseason wore on, it was clear to anyone who saw him that Embiid’s knee wasn’t right.”

The Sixers are 3-13 on the season. They are in 14th place in the Eastern Conference standings. 

Embiid is averaging 19.8 points, 7.5 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 0.5 steals and 1.0 blocks while shooting 37.9% from the field and 16.7% from beyond the arc.

The seven-time All-Star was suspended for shoving an NBA reporter who mentioned Embiid’s son and late brother in a critical column.

Embiid is one of the best players in NBA history. He’s fourth all-time in points per game (27.8).

However, the Sixers have never advanced past the second round of the playoffs in the Embiid era and many have questioned Embiid’s professionalism. 

“Already this season, Embiid, the 2023 NBA MVP, responded to critics who questioned his desire to play, saying, ‘I’ve done way too much for this f—ing city to be treated like this.’ Days later, Embiid was suspended three games by the league for shoving a reporter who mentioned Embiid’s son and late brother in a critical column,” Shelburne reported. “In a team meeting, Tyrese Maxey called out Embiid for being ‘late to everything,’ which resulted in Embiid and Paul George calling out whomever leaked the story to ESPN.”