Sixers’ Joel Embiid setback latest in string of ill-timed misfortune

At some point, you start to wonder about the 76ers and their dumb luck.

As Ben Rohrbach of Yahoo Sports outlines, the Sixers’ latest setback — Joel Embiid undergoing surgery for appendicitis just before the playoffs — is only the latest in a long line of unfortunate developments for the franchise.

Embiid’s résumé alone tells part of the story.

Beyond the typical wear and tear that comes with being a 7-foot center, he has dealt with a series of ill-timed issues, including orbital fractures, illness during the playoffs, Bell’s palsy and now an appendectomy. More often than not, those setbacks have come at the worst possible time.

And it does not stop there.

The Sixers’ post-Process era has been filled with strange turns. From the departure of Sam Hinkie and the Bryan Colangelo situation to the public fallout between James Harden and Daryl Morey, the franchise has rarely enjoyed a smooth ride.

Then there is the draft history.

Philadelphia selected Jahlil Okafor, Ben Simmons and Markelle Fultz in consecutive years, with each situation unfolding in unexpected ways. The team also traded Mikal Bridges on draft night, a move that continues to draw scrutiny given his subsequent development elsewhere.

Add it all up, and the narrative almost writes itself.

Still, as Rohrbach notes, labeling it a “curse” may be a stretch. Some of it is poor luck. Some of it is roster decision-making. Some of it is simply the reality of building around high-risk, high-reward talent.

There have been positives. Tyrese Maxey has emerged as an All-NBA caliber guard, and young pieces such as VJ Edgecombe offer hope for the future.

So no, the Sixers probably are not cursed.

But it is getting harder to ignore how often things seem to go sideways at the worst possible moment.

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