After 76ers superstar Joel Embiid was shut down for the rest of the season, former NBA player Chandler Parsons wondered why it didn't happen earlier this year.
Parsons, a former forward who works as an analyst for Fan Duel TV's “Run It Back” show, said Friday that the effects of Embiid's prolonged knee injuries have been obvious since last summer's Olympics, with Philadelphia criticizing Philadelphia and still technically living for his final play-in spot at the Eastern Conference – Embid chasing 202-26.
“They knew about the injury,” Parson said. “Let's go and see Joel Embiid perform at the Olympics this summer. Whether it's fair or unfair, selfish, or why you want to call it, he wasn't himself. He wasn't moving. [like] He himself. He wasn't running. He wasn't explosive. This is nothing new. So my complaints, my concern is that this is not just natural healing.
February 28th. Screen grab via x/@runitbackfdtv
“This required surgery after October. It's probably frustrating for the fan base too, because he sees some games he goes and he cooks and he's dominant. He's been looking like that MVP for two years. Just knowing what I know and what they know, it won't get any better, and it can get worse.”
Embiid, who won the league's MVP award from 2022-23, played just 19 games with the 76ers this season, earning 23.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game.
And this year, a knee injury has overshadowed one of his game's cameos. This includes the beginning of the season when the NBA looked into the 76ers for handling of participation in the previous third pick.
Embiid was also on the bench last month in the fourth quarter of his match against the net. Coach Nick Nurse told reporters that Embiid “not himself” compared to the version that carried the 76ers in previous seasons.
Within a week, Embiid's season was over.
“Every day, you smoke next season, training camp and the beginning of it all,” Parsons said in the segment on Friday. “You could have eliminated it. If you did just that at the beginning of the season, he might have already been on duty two months later.
“But I get it. This team is now built healthy. They say, 'What's wrong?' “What if you join in the play now and Joel is magically healthy?” It won't happen until he has surgery. ”
The 76ers held the Warriors on Saturday, with 28 games left in the regular season, finishing 12th in the Eastern Conference. Three games behind the Bulls at the final spot of the play-in tournament.
