Sixers' leadership problem becoming obvious amid early struggles

Maxey and Embiid may be friends, but the lack of leadership currently being shown deserves to be called out. For all the talent Daryl Morey has put together since moving into the Sixers' front-office role, he's failed to land a genuine locker-room leader. Embiid is one of the most talented players in the world, but that doesn't make him leadership material.

A leader is someone who leads by example. They raise their game when their back is against the wall. They do everything in their power to help their team avoid a loss. Embiid is none of those things. He goes missing when his gas tank starts to run dry. He is often sidelined with injury but does little to improve his conditioning.

Embiid has a playoff record of 29-30. How can he be expected to lead the Sixers to a championship when he's consistently failed throughout his tenure with the franchise? George has a 53-61 postseason record for his career. These are two high-level stars who have both struggled to taste postseason success and have dealt with injury issues in recent years. 

Perhaps Maxey is the leader the Sixers have been missing. His willingness to call out Embiid's malaise and have a challenging conversation should be encouraging. However, Maxey can only lead if his teammates empower him to do so. 

Philadelphia needs to embrace a slight power shift. If it doesn't, it's destined for more heartache as teams around it improve and the Boston Celtics chase a dynasty. 

It's time to stop trusting the process and start demanding success.