Charles Barkley ‘not happy’ with load management plan for Sixers’ Joel Embiid

Charles Barkley is not a fan of Joel Embiid’s load management plan. The former 76ers star and Hall of Famer joined host Colt Knost on SiriusXM’s PGA Tour Radio ahead of the Sixers’ season opener against the Bucks on Wednesday night to discuss the center’s plan.

“I’m not happy with that. I’m not happy with that at all,” Barkley said. “It bothers me a lot. I mean, the guy is making close to $70 million. He just signed an extension. And No. 1, it’s kind of crapping on the fans. I mean, I’m pretty sure steelworkers and people like that don’t want to go to work. Guys who work in construction, guys who work paving our streets and things like that, I’m pretty sure they don’t want to go to work sometimes, but they go to work every day for chump change. Not being disrespectful, not a lot of money. I don’t think a guy making $65-70 million a year, can’t play basketball three, maybe four days a week. I don’t like it at all.”

Embiid sat out all six preseason games as he rested his left knee, and he said he would not play in back-to-back games this season. Embiid was limited to only 39 games last season because of a torn lateral meniscus in his left knee. After his return toward the end of the season, he was still limited during the team’s first-round loss to the New York Knicks.

» READ MORE: Hayes: Embiid disrespects the Sixers, the game, its greats, and himself. Shaq and Barkley are right to rip him.

“I mean, man, these people pay all this money. Regular people pay all this money to see guys play stupid basketball,” Barkley said. “And if you can’t play, you’re never going to play more than four days a week. Most of the time we play three games a week, but sometimes you play four. But to announce you’re not going to play basketball back to back, I mean, I just think that it sets a bad leadership role on the team. I really do. I couldn’t believe that when I heard it, to be honest with you.”

Ahead of the NBA’s opening night Tuesday on TNT, Barkley and fellow Inside the NBA analyst Shaquille O’Neal sounded off on the plan to rest Embiid.

On Wednesday, Stephen A. Smith, a former Inquirer columnist with his own large platform, disagreed with Barkley and O’Neal. He pointed to the long list of injuries Embiid has suffered and said the Sixers center has every reason to be cautious as he tries to ensure he’s prepared for the playoffs this spring.

“I’m disappointed in Shaquille O’Neal and Charles Barkley. I can’t believe what came out of their mouth,” Smith said on ESPN’s First Take. “Joel Embiid has missed 329 games in his career. Let me go down the list. He only played 39 games last year. Last season alone: 34 games missed because of his knee, four games missed because of his ankle, two games missed because of illness.

“This is what Joel Embiid has missed in his career: foot, knee, health protocols, back, hand, face, ankle, shoulder, calf, hip, elbow, ribs. ... Is there a part of the body that I missed?”

The Sixers open their season Wednesday night against the Milwaukee Bucks at the Wells Fargo Center. Join Keith Pompey and Gina Mizell at 3 p.m. on inquirer.com/gamedaycentral as they preview the game, and the season ahead.