The NBA fines the Sixers $100,000 for ‘inconsistent’ statements on Joel Embiid’s health
The NBA investigation also confirmed that Embiid has been unable to play because of a left knee injury, meaning his absence from the first three games did not violate the player participation policy.
The NBA has fined the 76ers $100,000 for “public statements ... that were inconsistent with Joel Embiid’s health status,” the league announced Tuesday.
The NBA investigation also confirmed that Embiid has been unable to play because of a left knee injury, meaning that his absence from the team‘s first three games did not violate the league’s player participation policy.
Sixers president Daryl Morey and coach Nick Nurse have spoken at length about the team’s plans to ensure that Embiid is prepared for the postseason. In the interim, the All-Star center has been on a ramp-up plan that kept him on the sidelines for all of the Sixers’ preseason and regular-season games thus far. Embiid also hadn’t taken part in five-on-five scrimmages before Tuesday.
At Tuesday’s practice, Embiid was drenched in sweat as media members entered the gym. The Sixers said in a release that Embiid and Paul George, who has been sidelined with a bone bruise to his left knee since Oct. 14, “are out [Wednesday] vs. Detroit” but both “participated in portions of practice today, and will be reassessed later in the week.”
More questions followed that release as Nurse was asked about both players.
“You guys got the update,” Nurse said. “They were in parts of practice. On we go.”
When a second question was asked about Embiid, Nurse decided not to respond. “I’m not going to answer,” the coach said. “They’ve given you the updates on that, right? They’ve given you the updates on Joel.”
Embiid, the 2023 MVP, has a long and checkered injury history that has affected his ability to perform in the regular season and playoffs. Embiid was disqualified from all regular-season awards last season because he suffered a left knee injury that cost him eight weeks and limited him to 39 games. Embiid aggravated the injury in the Sixers’ first-round playoff loss to the New York Knicks, repeating a cycle that has played out in several shortened Sixers playoff runs.
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As a result, the Sixers entered media day and training camp discussing Embiid‘s health and the need to produce a plan to make sure he was available when it counts. That plan included the Sixers’ decision to keep Embiid and George out of most back-to-back games. Embiid also spoke on the matter and confirmed that he intended to “take a step back.”
“We’ve got to do whatever it takes to make sure in the postseason I’m healthy,” Embiid recalled texting Morey. “So this year is all about … whatever it takes to make sure that I get to [the playoffs] and I’m ready to go, because I believe for basically every year in my career, I’ve been hurt in the playoffs.”