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Former NBA star believes Sixers should take drastic action
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) and forward Paul George (8) defend against Chicago Bulls center Nikola Vucevic (9) during the first half at United Center. Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Former NBA star believes Sixers should take drastic action

Sitting 12th in the Eastern Conference, the Philadelphia 76ers have been a picture of disappointment over their first 25 games. Daryl Morey took a significant gamble this summer, adding Paul George to a rotation that already boasted Joel Embiid. Both stars are known to be injury risks, and both have missed stretches of the new season. 

What's worse, the Sixers have already been dealing with some internal issues. Tyrese Maxey reportedly called out Embiid for a perceived lack of commitment. And a dreaded players-only meeting has already taken place. You would be forgiven for believing the Sixers' season was over before it ever got off the ground. 

In a recent episode of his "Gil's Arena" podcast, former NBA guard Gilbert Arenas built on the perception of Philadelphia's torrid start. In his usual outspoken and outlandish way, he encouraged the team to shut down Embiid and George for the rest of the season. His idea was that almost a year away from basketball would allow both stars to get their bodies right before coming back stronger next season.

“You should have cut the cord f------ weeks ago,” Arenas said. “Embiid, cut. Paul George, we'll see. If not, get healthy. They're not going to help you win a championship this year, so if they can't help you win a championship, shut them down. I just paid you money. I need to protect it.”

Embiid is earning $51.4M this season, and George is taking home $49.2M for the year. No ownership group is going to sign off on $100M worth of talent sitting at home when healthy, especially when we still have three-quarters of the season left to play. 

Acting like Philadelphia is incapable of turning its season around is mind-boggling. It has three legitimate stars on its roster, with Embiid a perennial MVP candidate when healthy. A 10-game stretch of good basketball could quickly reposition the Sixers back in the playoff picture. Now isn't the time for the franchise to take its foot off the gas, especially after investing so heavily during the offseason. 

Reactionary takes such as the one from Arenas' are common within the NBA space. Unfortunately, outside of entertainment value, they offer little substance and are often reductive. Of course, if the Sixers are still outside of the playoff picture once we get to the 50- or 60-game mark, it could make sense to sit two of the league's biggest injury risks. 

For now, though, at this early juncture, there's still far too much for which to play. If Philadelphia benched its star duo this early, the fanbase would have every reason to turn its back on the franchise indefinitely.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

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