Joel Embiid is one of the best players in the world. Period. There are no ifs or buts encircling the Philadelphia 76ers superstar. His style of play is not always aesthetically pleasing; it has its flaws, but the superstar center is undeniably an unstoppable force. However, this season is going to be a huge test for him and the club.
For the first time in years, the 76ers can claim that they are among the hot favorites to get out of the Eastern Conference and make a run for an NBA title. I don't remember when it was the last time the 76ers started a season with such high expectations, and Embiid will have to surpass his previous shortcomings if the Sixers want to be successful. Embiid hasn't been able to get out of the second round of the playoffs, and that's a huge blemish in his otherwise future Hall of Fame-caliber resume.
Health has been a huge obstacle for Embiid all these years. He hasn't played more than 68 games in a season and the 76ers regularly tried to get by without him, while he was not at 100% health in their playoff runs. The Sixers will have to help Embiid remain healthy and fresh for the postseason, and they have already taken steps in this direction.
They added a third-string superstar in Paul George, retained the new star in town, Tyrese Maxey, and added depth in the center position by bringing back Andre Drummond. It is now largely upon Embiid to capitalize on the roster and maintain his focus on the greater prize.
I believe that this will be the first season of watching Embiid mature to what I label as the savvy superstar that plays to his strengths and protects his team's best interest. That said, Embiid still needs to improve some aspects in his game, especially with him getting older.
Why conditioning will be crucial for Joel Embiid this season
Joel Embiid's conditioning has been a polarizing topic throughout the years. The Sixers' superstar has been criticized for the fact that he’s not in great shape, especially after coming back from long-term injuries. Embiid struggled to remain effective for the full duration of games while he is regularly committing unforced turnovers during late-game situations.
Embiid's issue could also be based on his instinctive willingness to help his team win. As a result, the 2024 Olympian often starts a game strong by using a huge amount of his energy to propel Philadelphia to a big lead. Later in the game, he appears to be gashed due to the early high volume of usage.
The Cameroonian center is a huge body with the skill set of a forward or a guard; it's only natural that he tires himself far more rapidly. Embiid and the 76ers will have to look for ways to capitalize upon his dominant stints judiciously throughout the game. Philadelphia have enough depth and star power to maintain a high level of play with Embiid sitting on the bench.
Let's not forget that they also have a young All-Star with a high offensive motor in Tyrese Maxey. Maxey could take up the high-usage role early in the game and allow Embiid to be his best self in the closing moments of the games. The same can be said for Paul George, who is also going to be an important factor for any success Embiid and the Sixers could have in the upcoming season.
Embiid must distance himself from social media drama and become a leadership figure
Joel Embiid is heading to his 9th seasons of his NBA career and his progress as a leader for the 76ers has been questioned. Also, more often than not, he had been part of social media drama encircling around him going against other superstars. Last season, Embiid was falsely accused of “ducking” games against Nikola Jokic and other NBA superstars.
As it was proved later, Embiid entered games without being at 100%, and as a result, he put himself in danger of suffering a more serious injury. When he went down against the Warriors, he was apparently not well and put himself in a dangerous position that ended up with a knee injury that kept him sidelined until the end of the season.
In the 34 games he appeared, the Sixers were among the Top-4 teams in the East before dropping to the 7th seed and the play-in tournament during the second part of the season. Athletes are human beings, and they are not encircled in a bubble. They all see the social media slander, which unfortunately has been an issue even for things outside of basketball.
I believe that Embiid has to keep his focus away from any toxic conversation this season. The 76ers are on pace to be serious NBA title contenders this year, and Joel Embiid will be tested as a leadership and veteran figure for the team.
Defense and rebounding needs to be far more embedded in Embiid's game
Joel Embiid is arguably a physical specimen with enough tools to be dominant on both ends of the floor. However, his defensive presence during the past two seasons was not that noteworthy, especially with knee and foot injuries piling up. Athleticism is not always the best remedy in that case, and Tim Duncan is a great example of that.
In the latter part of his career, Duncan remained a top-tier rebounder and defender, despite not having the lateral quickness and athletic ability of his youth. The Spurs built a perennially strong defensive scheme with Duncan towering over it. HIs combination of positioning and basketball IQ was the reason behind the effectiveness of their strategy.
Embiid has all the tools to work on those two areas of his game and avoid unnecessary collisions on the hunt for deflections and blocks. More than anything else, he will help Philly create a strong protective framework inside. Last season, the team was in the middle of the pack (15th) regarding its defense on 2-pointers, per basketball reference.
They were also barely competing with the Top-10 groups in the opponent's FG% by being ranked as the 11th best team in this category. The Sixers can be a top-tier defense this season if Embiid can control the area around the rim and keep opponents away. However, he will need to use his physical presence and be more in control when he is patrolling the paint.
The 2023 MVP has already become a creative force from the post and amped up his assist numbers. Now, he needs to replicate some of his early-career defensive efficiency to help Philadelphia achieve its goals this season.
