Joel Embiid is facing the heat for his underwhelming performances for the 76ers this season. It doesn’t help that he suffered from a sinus fracture recently, which makes it difficult for him to breathe. While many believe that Embiid needs to do better in terms of getting fitter and managing his schedule, the 76ers star has found some sympathy in former Clippers point guard, Lou Williams.
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On Byron Scott’s Fast Break podcast, the three-time Sixth of the Year award winner claimed that while he can understand fans not being happy with the center, they should cut him some slack. Embiid, who has just played four games this season, is not absent due to his lack of desire to play for the 76ers, according to Williams.
“I don’t want to say give the players too much grace because heavy is the head that wears the crown… But some of these things, like Joel Embiid [‘s situation], is above his head. And he goes out and has to be the person that explains this without anybody else backing him.
“There’s not a KJ or Elton Brand standing next to him saying, ‘Yo this is a collaborative decision that we’re making as an organization. Not just Joel,” Williams said on the podcast.
The retired guard argued that the 76ers front office’s decision to let Embiid about his load management put him in the critics’ crosshairs. He believes the team should have protected the center and clarified that the heavily critiqued preemptive move to protect him from injuries was a management decision, not the center’s demand.
Williams also spoke about the fact that Embiid, because of being outspoken, could get into trouble with fans at times. That could also be one of the reasons why Embiid has called ‘Troel’, a combination of his first name Joel and troll, which he accepted rather sportingly.
Embiid not playing back-to-back games has caused a massive stir
After the 76ers acquired Paul George and handed Tyrese Maxey a contract extension in the offseason, they were touted as one of the title favorites. Embiid was tasked with spearheading their championship aspirations and taking Philadelphia to the promised land. However, fans had to lower their expectations almost immediately.
The center, who missed 43 games last season but opted to represent Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympics, missed the 76ers’ first nine games due to a knee injury. The team also announced he wouldn’t play any back-to-back games this season.
The problem with that? Philadelphia has 15 matches on subsequent nights in the 2024-25 season.
Embiid preemptively skipping 20% of the team’s regular season schedule has made many believe that he had no desire to win a championship. The once revered Troel no longer exists. The fans chased him away and what’s left is a center fighting to prove that he is committed to his team and the sport.
