The Philadelphia 76ers landed one of the biggest free agents this summer in Paul George. To solidify their roster even further, the Sixers’ front office signed their superstar Joel Embiid to a massive contract extension. As the 76ers increased their chances of making another run for an NBA title, Embiid’s contract extension raises questions regarding his health come playoff time.
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The hosts of SiriusXM NBA Radio discussed the three-year/$192 million contract extension offered to Embiid. While the hosts called it a win, they also took how injury-prone Embiid is into consideration and how it’ll affect the team down the road.
“This Joel Embiid extension, on multiple levels, is a win for the Sixers. We just gotta wonder if it will help the Sixers win. I’ve always given Joel Embiid a tremendous amount of credit, for his willingness to play far less than 100% in the playoffs.”
Joel Embiid has reportedly signed a three year, $193 million contract extension with a player option in 2028-29.
But @BGeltzNBA tells @SamMitchellNBA he wonders if Embiid’s health will make this new contract age poorly. pic.twitter.com/pze2h1t1d0
— SiriusXM NBA Radio (@SiriusXMNBA) September 21, 2024
Host Brian Geltzeiler credited Embiid’s toughness and desire to play even when he’s injured as he did these last playoffs. He also mentioned how important it is for the team that he remains healthy when it matters the most.
“Nonetheless, for the Sixers, they gotta hit a playoff with him one of these years where he’s gonna be a healthy player. Either he can be or he can’t be. More times than not, he’s not been able to be a healthy player for the Sixers.”
While this contract extension does indicate that Embiid is the centerpiece of the team, it also means that Philly has gone all out this summer.
Apart from giving the former MVP center a max contract extension, the 76ers will also be paying George a four-year/max deal at the age of 34. So, it is clear that Philly is not playing around and will be looking to make a serious run for a title.
Can Embiid and PG remain healthy?
On a good day, Embiid is nearly unstoppable when on the court. The seven-footer has been averaging over 30 points for the past three seasons. However come playoff time, Jojo usually ends up getting injured which results in the Sixers getting knocked out of the postseason.
This past year, Embiid dealt with a knee injury that kept him out for the latter half of the season. Before that, it was his hip and according to FoxSports, his calf and foot have given him trouble as well. So, Embiid’s health is detrimental to the 76ers’ success this season.
Brian Geltzeiler pointed out how Tyrese Maxey could take some of the offensive load upon himself. However, he also emphasized the fact that it’ll be George and Embiid who will be able to lead the Sixers to a possible championship.
The only problem with this wasn’t just Embiid’s health, but PG’s as well. At 34 years of age, George is still a very capable scorer. But with Father Time slowly catching up to him, PG-13 has also dealt with his fair share of injuries in the past.
So, can Embiid and George remain healthy enough till the playoffs? We’ll find out soon enough.
