When the 76ers kick off the 2024-25 season, they'll be without their best player.
Joel Embiid is set to miss out on the season-opening action, being ruled out of not merely Philadelphia's home opener against the Bucks on Wednesday but also each of the Sixers' first three games.
The 30-year-old has dealt with his fair share of injuries over the course of his career. Conversely, it seems he and his organization are hoping to chart a new path forward — one that will see him trade regular-season success and accolades for health come the postseason.
The NBA appears unconvinced about the legitimacy of such a method and whether it violates the league's resting guidelines.
With that, here's what you need to know about Embiid's health and why it's causing such a clamor across the league office.
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Joel Embiid NBA investigation, explained
The NBA is expected to look into the 76ers' handling of Embiid's health thus far, according to ESPN's Shams Charania. The Philadelphia big man didn't play a single minute during preseason and is slated to miss the first three games of the regular season — matchups against the Bucks (Wednesday), the Raptors (Friday) and the Pacers (Sunday).
The 76ers termed Embiid's preseason absence "left knee management," adding that he is "responding well to his individualized plan." He's set to increase his workload in the coming week as he attempts to make a return to the floor.
"It's typical for the NBA to review a team anytime a superstar player misses a nationally television game, as per the player participation policy," wrote Charania.
Embiid played in just 39 games last year, felled by a series of knee injuries. He returned to health in time to face the Knicks in the postseason, but he looked well off his usual pace.
After a summer filled with basketball — Embiid was part of Team USA's gold-medal winning side at the Paris Olympics — it seems both player and organization are committed to mitigating Embiid's injury woes by any means necessary.
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey revealed that Philadelphia is planning on leaving Embiid and fellow injury-prone standout Paul George out of back-to-backs this season.
"We're going to be smart about it. Part of being smart about it is having both Paul [George] and Joel probably not play many back-to-backs, if any," Morey told ESPN's Tim Bontemps earlier in the month.
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Joel Embiid injury update
Embiid hasn't suited up for the Sixers since returning from Olympic play. The reason why? "Left knee injury management."
The former MVP winner dealt with various knee injuries in 2023-24, including a torn left meniscus. He was a limited participant in training camp and failed to take the floor in any of Philadelphia's six preseason matchups.
76ers head coach Nick Nurse shared with reporters that Embiid hasn't suffered any injury setbacks as of late. Still, the organization is committed to "sticking with our plan of making sure we're getting into a really, really good place before we play him live."
Hence his latest spell on the sideline, which will see Embiid in street clothes until Wednesday, Oct. 30 against the Pistons, at the least.
MORE: Shaquille O'Neal, Charles Barkley pick Joel Embiid apart for not playing back-to-backs
NBA resting guidelines, explained
The NBA took on an aggressive approach to limiting load management, leveeing punishments to organizations for resting "star" players for national television games and sidelining multiple stars in the same game.
The league defines a star player as "someone who's made the All-Star or All-NBA teams in any of the three previous seasons," per former ESPN insider Adrian Wojnarowski.
According to Wojnarowski's report, teams must abide by the following five guidelines to avoid punishment:
- Teams must manage their rosters to ensure that no more than one star player is unavailable for the same game.
- Teams must ensure that star players are available for national television and in-season tournament games.
- Teams must maintain a balance between the number of one-game absences for a star player in home games and road games — with a preference for those absences to happen in home games.
- Teams must refrain from any long-term shutdown — or near shutdown — when a star player stops participating in games or plays in a materially reduced role in circumstances affecting the integrity of the game.
- Teams must ensure that healthy players resting for a game are present and visible to fans.
There will be exceptions made, specifically for back-to-back scenarios during the regular season.
"The NBA will allow pre-approved designated back-to-back allowances for players who are 35 years old on opening night or have career workloads of 34,000 regular-season minutes or 1,000 regular-season/playoff games combined," Wojnarowski reported.
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The NBA enforces its edict with a fine system "that begins with $100,000 for the first offense, $250,000 for second offenses and $1 million more than the previous penalty for each additional fine."
The league also requires players to participate in at least 65 regular-season games to be eligible for end-of-season awards, including MVP, Defensive Player of the Year and All-NBA teams.
