A series of lingering knee injuries dating back to last season has led Embiid to be put on a 20-minute playing restriction to start the season. Additionally, the Sixers staff reported that Embiid would not play the 2nd night of back-to-back games. Although this news strengthens the troublesome trend of load management with the league’s best players, the Sixers might have an objective behind these decisions. Whether it was intentional or not, his restrictions have arguably helped the team more than it has hurt them.
MVP Maxey
The apparent “MVP” chants in South Philly have been well warranted for the 76ers’ point guard. Tyrese Maxey has been on a tear to start the 2025-2026 Sixers campaign. Following ten games so far, Maxey is averaging a staggering 33 points (2nd in the league), 8 assists, and 5 rebounds per game. It is a testament to the incredible amount of offseason work he has put in and a noticeable amount of muscle added to his build that has repeatedly led to his continued success each year. With Embiid on the bench more frequently, it has allowed Maxey to thrive in a new role, taking more shots and leading the Sixers’ high-octane offense. Having Maxey at the helm more often has been the secret to the Sixers’ early success to start the season.
Supporting Cast Resurgence
In past years, the Sixers’ supporting cast held the Sixers back from making a deep playoff run. This year, it seems as though they have found the right combinations to complement Maxey’s talents and suitable big men to back up Embiid. VJ Edgecomb’s 34-point league debut was incredibly eye-opening, and his impact has been praiseworthy in games since. His combination of athleticism, an already polished offensive game on all three levels, and a surprising defensive presence leading to steals and breakout dunks has made the Maxey-Edgecombe duo one of the most dangerous backcourts in the NBA. Additionally, Kelly Oubre Jr. has proven himself to be the best complementary player on the Sixers team. His ability to seemingly always be at the right place at the right time, become a reliable shooter, and be the best perimeter defender on the roster will be crucial to the Sixers’ success. Quieten Grimes has been the best player off the bench to start the season, becoming a quick and lethal sharpshooter. Even Trenton Watford has become an unlikely bench piece, posting a 20-point triple-double against Toronto last Saturday, showing shades of Robert Covington. Most evidently, in previous seasons, the Sixers’ back-up big men led to a significant drop off when Embiid was off the floor. This year, Andre Drummound and Adem Bona have proven to be worthy back-ups and starters when needed for the Sixers roster. Although Bona is younger and more athletic than the veteran Drummond, Drummond has proved to be the next best option to Embiid. His continual rebounding prowess, defensive presence, and even the added corner three-ball he’s been working on will allow Embiid to rest more with no significant drop off.
The Long Game
In all, these decisions regarding Embiid’s games played and minutes restriction are geared towards keeping him healthy for the most important moments in the season. While his minutes restriction has been lifted to 25 minutes in the past two affairs, I think it would be best to only play Embiid 25-30 minutes a game for the rest of the season. By doing this, it would benefit not only Embiid’s long-term health in the latter years of his career but also make the Sixers more versatile and difficult to beat. With Embiid on the floor, the team plays a much slower and methodical pace, involving Embiid in nearly every offensive possession. Especially in playoff basketball, that type of style becomes easy to game plan and is why the supporting cast has struggled to convert in the postseason. Conversely, the team has a faster and quicker-hitter kind of offense involving more players when Embiid is off the floor. Thus, this methodology will allow the team as a whole to prosper and for Nick Nurse to be able to save his starting center for the most vital moments of the game without worry. Although his impact on the game as an elusive scorer and defensive stopper is what makes him the most important player on the team, the key to the Sixers’ success this season is what they will be able to produce with him not on the hardwood.
