Reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid‘s latest injury has robbed him of the chance of winning the coveted award for the second year running. The center has missed 23 games this season and won’t meet the 65-game requirement to be considered for individual accolades. Embiid’s failure to repeat as MVP ends the trend that Giannis Antetokounmpo started in 2019 and Nikola Jokic emulated by winning two consecutive MVPs.
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Embiid suffered a knee injury against the Golden State Warriors and has missed the 76ers’ last 11 games. There have been suggestions that the team may shut him down for the rest of the year to ensure he’s fully healthy for the 2024-25 season. However, ESPN analyst Stephen A. Smith has rejected that premise. On Tuesday’s episode of First Take, he said,
“I’m putting him in any chance I get. I don’t give a damn. I ain’t sitting him down, I ain’t shutting him down. Nothing. If he can give me 10 minutes, I’m taking it. Man’s averaging 35 and 11. He’s been averaging over 30 the last three years. 28 the year before that. Brother’s a scoring machine. The footwork is phenomenal. He’s one of the greatest skilled big men this game has ever seen. If that brother can give me 15-20 minutes at 75%, I’m taking it.”
Smith disagreed with the idea of shutting him down. He pointed to his history of injuries and claimed there’s no guarantee that he wouldn’t get hurt when he begins preparing for the 2024-25 season. The analyst is correct in pointing out that the future isn’t guaranteed. If Embiid is fit to return this season, the 76ers should play him and hope he can stay healthy during their playoff run.
Unfortunately, whether or not the Philadelphia 76ers agree with that verdict is an entirely different matter.
Will Joel Embiid play this season?
Since Joel Embiid hurt his knee against the Warriors, there have been minimal updates about his return to the court. However, on Tuesday, NBA insider Adrian Wojnarowski provided a massive update about the reigning MVP. He said,
“[The 76ers] are still optimistic that they can get him back. I think there’s some hope that they can get him back on the court by sometime in late March, back, starting to get into condition. The goal here isn’t necessarily to try to bring him back and see how many regular-season games you might be able to win with him. The goal is to get him as healthy as he can be for the postseason.”
Embiid’s return would greatly boost the 76ers chances of venturing deep into the playoffs. The center has struggled with injuries in Philadelphia’s past playoff runs, which have affected his performances. If he can bring his regular season scoring prowess to the playoffs, the 76ers would be one of the favorites to represent the East in the playoffs, irrespective of where they finish in the Eastern Conference standings.
The 76ers will not rush Embiid back onto the court. The NBA playoffs will not commence until April 20th. They have seven weeks to chart the best course of action for his return to the starting lineup.
