NBA likely to investigate 76ers as Joel Embiid begins season on bench with injury: report
- Joel Embiid is expected to miss the first three games of the regular season due to knee injury management.
- The NBA will investigate the Philadelphia 76ers in light of their star player's absence from nationally televised matches.
- The team's strategy aims to preserve Embiid's health for a postseason run, adhering to league participation policies.
The Philadelphia 76ers are facing an impending investigation by the NBA regarding the participation of star center Joel Embiid. This follows his absence from the team's preseason due to a left knee injury management strategy. As the regular season begins, he is predicted to miss the first three games, raising concerns due to the league's rules on player participation during important nationally televised matches. The 76ers aim to preserve Embiid's health for a potential postseason run, avoiding back-to-back games for him and other key players in light of their injury histories. Previous seasons saw Embiid struggle with injuries, resulting in limited game appearances despite impressive averages. Such restrictions and management plans, while seen as necessary by the organization, may attract scrutiny from the NBA, which insists that players fulfill participation criteria for awards eligibility, adding pressure on the team's decision-making.