Charles Barkley calls the Sixers ‘stupid’ for their load management plan for Joel Embiid (Image credits: @charleswbarkley, @joelembiid/Instagram)
Joel Embiid missing consecutive games for the Philadelphia 76ers has not impressed Hall of Famer Charles Barkley. The Sixers benched the star player for several games due to Embiid’s injury history. Maintaining the big man’s health is the goal, particularly during the postseason.
On Thursday’s episode of “Inside the NBA,” Barkley didn’t hold back and called out the Sixers for their decision. The former basketball star even called the organization’s choice “stupid.”
“I don’t think it’s fair,” Barkley said. “I want to get this number right. He just signed for three years, $193 million to play basketball. We’re not steel workers, we’re not nurses. People who got real jobs have to work 40-50 hours a week. We’re playing basketball, at the most, four days a week.
“He has the best backup in the league in [Andre] Drummond. If he had to say, ‘I’mma play 25 minutes on the second night of a back-to-back.’ …To come out and say it in advance, was a stupidity by the Sixers, period.”
The 2024-25 NBA season has just started and Embiid has already missed a game. On Wednesday, Philadelphia played the Milwaukee Bucks in their season opener with Giannis Antetokounmpo and his crew taking the 124-109 win. Unfortunately, the Sixers star didn’t play in their season opener as he’s dealing with a sore left knee. Their newest recruit, Paul George, also didn’t play as he’s recovering from a hyperextended left knee.
According to the Sixers, the 2023 MVP won’t be available for the first week of the season. They’ll play their second game against the Toronto Raptors on Friday.
Sixers’ head coach on the league investigating Joel Embiid
Joel Embiid’s decision to sit out back-to-back games has caught the attention of the league. Shortly after sharing the plans for his load management this season, the NBA initiated an investigation, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Thursday.
Before their season opener against the Bucks, Sixers head coach Nick Nurse was asked about the league’s investigation regarding Embiid’s availability.
“I don’t have any thoughts on it,” he said. “Nobody from our organization has said anything to me about that. As far as the investigation, I don’t really know.”
The league has the authority to place fines on organizations involved in such cases. According to an article published by former ESPN Insider Adrian Wojnarowski in 2023, the NBA has the control to fine the Sixers. For the first offense, the franchise has to settle a $100,000 fine.
Fines will continue to increase, with the second offense going up to $250,000. For organizations that commit the offense more than twice, the fine could go over $1 million.
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