Embiid rebroke foot , wil miss next season too !

[Lucky17]

2.  If the reports about his attitude are accurate, it's hard to say what a team can really do about it.  I'm sure it wouldn't hurt if Philly had SOMEBODY on the team with enough NBA credibility to take Embiid to task.  Who can really talk to him?  His coach who hasn't won anything?  His teammates who haven't won anything?  Management that is trying to make the team as bad as they can?

Didn't Philly expressly trade for Mbah a Moute during Embiid's rookie season so that he might serve as a mentor?

the one bright spot (other than Philly still sucking) is it points out the perils of putting together a horrendous roster to purposely tank for a high draft pick to rely on a young kid to turn around your franchise.

That was my immediate reaction too; I wondered whether I was being unfair.

I still can't help but remember Embiid's face during the draft broadcast when he learned he was taken by Philly. I wonder if these shenanigans are his ill-conceived way of trying to get himself traded. It's a bad strategy; I think he's jeopardizing his career. Cutting off his nose to spite his face.

I think this reflects the normal struggles of a young kid coming from nothing who suddenly has everything available to him (junk food, night life, etc). It will take some time for anyone in such a situation to adjust and mature. He doesnt have the background, exposure, and education that many of the other young guys coming into the league have with this lifestyle. He also hasn't been playing basketball nearly as long as any of the other guys coming into the league, so his lack of understanding of what it takes to achieve and maintain top conditioning is very limited.

I'm sure that's a factor here. But there also seems to be some outright hostility and insubordination on Embiid's part too. It seems more than just passive-aggressive disobedience, or growing pains.

[colincb]

A lot of politics going on now with this story with someone trying to protect their reputation. Brown would be a logical choice for one, but the owner could be the culprit easy enough. AND as usual with the true believers in the Hinkie Plan, a lot of people  are in deep denial.

Always thought the owner may not really be a BB fan as much as a Wall Streeter looking for a quick kill, which he did thanks to Steve Ballmer bidding up the Clippers. One thing that screams out to me is the fact that Hinkie's supposedly deep into details and yet nobody's got a handle on what Embiid's doing? That's a huge disconnect. You can't blame the Hinkie for taking Embiid, but what happened after that and who's watching Hinkie?

[mef730]

I'm glad to have Marcus Smart.

You and me both. And I remember cursing out DA for taking yet another point guard when we already had Rondo. If both Embiid and Smart had been there at #6, I would not have made the "Smart" decision.

Reason #4,376 that DA, and not a random guy on the internet, is the GM.

Mike

[slamtheking]

2.  If the reports about his attitude are accurate, it's hard to say what a team can really do about it.  I'm sure it wouldn't hurt if Philly had SOMEBODY on the team with enough NBA credibility to take Embiid to task.  Who can really talk to him?  His coach who hasn't won anything?  His teammates who haven't won anything?  Management that is trying to make the team as bad as they can?

Didn't Philly expressly trade for Mbah a Moute during Embiid's rookie season so that he might serve as a mentor?

the one bright spot (other than Philly still sucking) is it points out the perils of putting together a horrendous roster to purposely tank for a high draft pick to rely on a young kid to turn around your franchise.

That was my immediate reaction too; I wondered whether I was being unfair.

I still can't help but remember Embiid's face during the draft broadcast when he learned he was taken by Philly. I wonder if these shenanigans are his ill-conceived way of trying to get himself traded. It's a bad strategy; I think he's jeopardizing his career. Cutting off his nose to spite his face.

I raised a related point when Philly tanked again this past season where the team remains bad for so long that it drives some (if not all) of their top picks to leave the team one way or the other such as playing out their rookie deal and QO to hit UFA sooner or making significant noise about resigning with the team in order to force an eventual trade. 

While mishandling a career-threatening injury for this purpose seems like it would be out of the question, I do wonder now if this is Embiid's way of getting out of Philly.  it'll cost him for sure in the short run but if successfully forces a trade and can come back from injury looking like the prospect people anticipated, he'd still do extremely well in future contracts. 

I wonder if Okafor will follow suit if his negative reaction to being picked by the Sixers (and media day actions) is real.

The Hinkie-fanboys didn't put any stock in this but now I wonder how this will play out.

[fairweatherfan]

2.  If the reports about his attitude are accurate, it's hard to say what a team can really do about it.  I'm sure it wouldn't hurt if Philly had SOMEBODY on the team with enough NBA credibility to take Embiid to task.  Who can really talk to him?  His coach who hasn't won anything?  His teammates who haven't won anything?  Management that is trying to make the team as bad as they can?

Didn't Philly expressly trade for Mbah a Moute during Embiid's rookie season so that he might serve as a mentor?

the one bright spot (other than Philly still sucking) is it points out the perils of putting together a horrendous roster to purposely tank for a high draft pick to rely on a young kid to turn around your franchise.

That was my immediate reaction too; I wondered whether I was being unfair.

I still can't help but remember Embiid's face during the draft broadcast when he learned he was taken by Philly. I wonder if these shenanigans are his ill-conceived way of trying to get himself traded. It's a bad strategy; I think he's jeopardizing his career. Cutting off his nose to spite his face.

I think this reflects the normal struggles of a young kid coming from nothing who suddenly has everything available to him (junk food, night life, etc). It will take some time for anyone in such a situation to adjust and mature. He doesnt have the background, exposure, and education that many of the other young guys coming into the league have with this lifestyle. He also hasn't been playing basketball nearly as long as any of the other guys coming into the league, so his lack of understanding of what it takes to achieve and maintain top conditioning is very limited.

I'm sure that's a factor here. But there also seems to be some outright hostility and insubordination on Embiid's part too. It seems more than just passive-aggressive disobedience, or growing pains.

Totally off-the-cuff reading but I think the dynamic for big men is often different than "smaller"  guys.  Big men with Embiid's kind of physical skills are so rare they're more or less elite prospects by default; guys with more common heights, even when they're really athletic, generally have to work to separate themselves from dozens of other top talents. 

I think you wind up with a higher % of big men who can semi-coast to the pro ranks without having much passion for the game, just because the talent pool is so shallow that a big man with a lot of natural talent isn't going to have much competition, and you'd be an idiot not to chase an NBA salary if it's a real possibility.  This could well be the first time Embiid's faced any real basketball adversity, and if the passion's not there it could make him sullen and resistant to instruction.  The guy is still basically an adolescent after all.

[fairweatherfan]

I raised a related point when Philly tanked again this past season where the team remains bad for so long that it drives some (if not all) of their top picks to leave the team one way or the other such as playing out their rookie deal and QO to hit UFA sooner or making significant noise about resigning with the team in order to force an eventual trade. 

While mishandling a career-threatening injury for this purpose seems like it would be out of the question, I do wonder now if this is Embiid's way of getting out of Philly.  it'll cost him for sure in the short run but if successfully forces a trade and can come back from injury looking like the prospect people anticipated, he'd still do extremely well in future contracts. 

I wonder if Okafor will follow suit if his negative reaction to being picked by the Sixers (and media day actions) is real.

The Hinkie-fanboys didn't put any stock in this but now I wonder how this will play out.

I've had the same thought, and gotten the same reaction from supporters of Philly's strategy.  I think a collection of young, immature guys on a team that clearly isn't trying to be good anytime soon and seems to be constantly in flux is a toxic environment for developing talent.  Some guys have a mindset that lets them be very resilient to that kind of thing but a lot of them don't.

[slamtheking]

I raised a related point when Philly tanked again this past season where the team remains bad for so long that it drives some (if not all) of their top picks to leave the team one way or the other such as playing out their rookie deal and QO to hit UFA sooner or making significant noise about resigning with the team in order to force an eventual trade. 

While mishandling a career-threatening injury for this purpose seems like it would be out of the question, I do wonder now if this is Embiid's way of getting out of Philly.  it'll cost him for sure in the short run but if successfully forces a trade and can come back from injury looking like the prospect people anticipated, he'd still do extremely well in future contracts. 

I wonder if Okafor will follow suit if his negative reaction to being picked by the Sixers (and media day actions) is real.

The Hinkie-fanboys didn't put any stock in this but now I wonder how this will play out.

I've had the same thought, and gotten the same reaction from supporters of Philly's strategy.  I think a collection of young, immature guys on a team that clearly isn't trying to be good anytime soon and seems to be constantly in flux is a toxic environment for developing talent.  Some guys have a mindset that lets them be very resilient to that kind of thing but a lot of them don't.

agreed - We'll get to see how this plays out in the next couple of years as Noel's rookie deal expires.  Philly will try to extend after this season probably but will Noel do it is the question.  I think it's a 50/50 deal at this point depending how much Philly sucks (worst-of-the-worst or just incredibly bad seem to be the 2 possibilities) this coming season as well as how he's integrated with Okafor.

[sofutomygaha]

This stuff is so great. If things work out well for the Sixers, it would make the NBA less fun. Watching MCW, Embiid, and Saric, three huge prospects, turn to dust in their hands is gratifying, and if the 76ers tankathon turns into a cautionary tale that will be the best possible outcome for all basketball fans not living in Philly.

They still have a lot of time on the clock, though. Noel won't be able to get out for three more years (though maybe he if doesn't learn to shoot this season, they'll decide they have to trade him =P)

[Lucky17]

Assuming Philly sucks well enough this year to get the #1 pick, couldn't the Sixers then immediately fire Hinkie, throw him under the bus, and say "We will never do that again; we're all about winning now."

Would that be enough to convince everyone, most importantly the players, that there's a cultural shift that rehabilitates the franchise's standing? Or has the brand suffered too much?

[slamtheking]

Assuming Philly sucks well enough this year to get the #1 pick, couldn't the Sixers then immediately fire Hinkie, throw him under the bus, and say "We will never do that again; we're all about winning now."

Would that be enough to convince everyone, most importantly the players, that there's a cultural shift that rehabilitates the franchise's standing? Or has the brand suffered too much?

I think they'll have to do something that tangibly shows them moving towards improving the team that doesn't involve the draft.  if they can lure some decent vets to the team instead of using D-league talent that would be a start but I think it'll take a couple of years of that and notable improvement in their young players who've chosen to remain with the team.

[slamtheking]

This stuff is so great. If things work out well for the Sixers, it would make the NBA less fun. Watching MCW, Embiid, and Saric, three huge prospects, turn to dust in their hands is gratifying, and if the 76ers tankathon turns into a cautionary tale that will be the best possible outcome for all basketball fans not living in Philly.

They still have a lot of time on the clock, though. Noel won't be able to get out for three more years (though maybe he if doesn't learn to shoot this season, they'll decide they have to trade him =P)

3 years?  must be including the coming year in that total.  if not, could you clarify?

[sofutomygaha]

This stuff is so great. If things work out well for the Sixers, it would make the NBA less fun. Watching MCW, Embiid, and Saric, three huge prospects, turn to dust in their hands is gratifying, and if the 76ers tankathon turns into a cautionary tale that will be the best possible outcome for all basketball fans not living in Philly.

They still have a lot of time on the clock, though. Noel won't be able to get out for three more years (though maybe he if doesn't learn to shoot this season, they'll decide they have to trade him =P)

3 years?  must be including the coming year in that total.  if not, could you clarify?

Let me make sure I have it right-- He's under contract this season and next, and then the season after is his RFA season, right? He won't suit up for another team until fall of 2018 if the Sixers don't let him.

[SHAQATTACK]

Yikes:

Embiid was determined to go to Vegas to party for the balance of the 10 days of summer league. While Embiid was in Vegas, he was mandated to wear the walking boot in advance of the second surgery, but Embiid not only refused to wear the boot, but he carried himself as if nothing was wrong with the foot, shooting jumpers and even occasionally dunking. These actions have given rise to the theory that Embiid actually re-broke his foot, rather than the initial injury not healing properly. It also led to Embiid having the surgery a month later than the club originally had hoped.

This type of disregard for instruction also extends to Embiid’s dietary habits. Per a source, the Sixers’ training staff was so concerned about what he was eating, they stocked the refrigerator in his downtown hotel residence each week with healthy food. When a staffer went to restock the fridge each week, most everything was uneaten and unopened, and they were throwing out the fruits and vegetables every week. When the team subsequently asked to see Embiid’s room service bill, they found that most days he was ordering junk food along with his signature beverage, a pitcher of Shirley Temples. Embiid also was frequently seen feasting on chicken fingers and hot dogs at and after games.

http://www.si.com/thecauldron/2015/10/16/philadelphia-76ers-sam-hinkie-joel-embiid-brett-brown-process

Yeah even setting aside the (major) injury concerns, Embiid sounds like he has some serious maturity issues to boot.  What a shame.

This > Sully behind the scenes .....he is not living right ....or else his body would change for the better .  .......ugh ...I wouldn't spend a dime on Embiid .......what a bust ........he is just milking the NBA teams GM s with false dreams.

[PhoSita]

The Embiid thing is definitely demonstrating that creating a culture of professionalism and targeting the right guys is a factor you must consider, even if talent, at the end of the day, is the most important thing by far.

The Sixers will still be fine if a couple of these draft picks hit and they start surrounding them with overpaid role players.  Hinkie, like Morey, has shown he can find role players off the bargain bin.  They'll have to overpay guys to go there, but that will change if they have a couple of young stars and they make a playoff appearance. 

All of the negativity will dissipate once there's some excitement around the team.  And it can turn around really quickly.  Look at how quickly it happened for the Bucks.


If Okafor isn't as good as they hope, Embiid never comes back from this injury, and Saric never comes over, then you start to wonder if they clean house and over-correct in the other direction like Charlotte.

[tankcity!]

Woooooooooooooooo! Where Lbrrd hiding? It looks like it's going to be a baaaaaaaaaad year for him. Don't forget, he has Nets making playoffs and Marcus smart no better than Tony Allen.