Many NBA fans are wondering why the hell the 76ers signed Joel Embiid to a three-year $193M extension in September, but the team did extra due diligence before signing him, according to one insider.
“The team and Embiid had sought half a dozen medical opinions before signing him to a three-year, $192.7M extension this September, sources said, and all of those consulted believed his knee could be adequately managed by a combination of strategic rest and procedures to promote healing, which Embiid has been regularly undergoing since last season,” ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne reports.
The fact that Embiid has sat out two whole seasons in Philly surely meant the extension came with a level of skepticism.
But, the 76ers were acutely aware of this in their decision to sign the big man and they felt as if they could manage his health, despite the risks according to The Athletic’s Sam Amick.
“‘Yes we knew’ and that there was a confidence level in their ability to manage it going forward,” explained Amick. “They acknowledge that the odds are okay, they’re not great. They felt good enough about it to do the deal.”
So far, Embiid has played in four games this season.
The Sixers entered the season with the fourth-highest odds to win the title and are now sitting at
New recruit Paul George has also been dealing with various injuries and only played in eight games so far.
The 76ers Big Three comprised of Embiid, George and Tyrese Maxey have played a grand total of one game together this season for just over a combined six minutes.
Whatever the team’s plan was, no doubt this wasn’t part of it.
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