Joel Embiid sent important message to LeBron James during free agency

Joel Embiid’s health, 76ers general manager’s resignation delayed “The Process”

The first part of that dream was fulfilled when Philadelphia took center Joel Embiid with the No. 3 pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, but he wouldn’t play his first game for two seasons and Hinkie would be forced out by the league before his vision played out. The NBA was against the 76ers’ plan of losing intentionally and pushed for a regime change, initiating years of roster mismanagement and playoff failures.

Despite there being a ton of factors at play, one of the main reasons the team hasn’t achieved their ultimate goal is Embiid’s inability to stay healthy. They finally beat the Boston Celtics in the postseason this year, a team Philadelphia had lost three playoff series against in the former MVP’s career, before injuries reared their ugly head in the next round against the New York Knicks, where the 76ers failed to win a game.

However, Embiid’s absences shouldn’t be nearly as costly now that he finally has an elite supporting cast around him. Philadelphia completed a stunning trade for All-NBA forward Jaylen Brown this offseason before coaxing forward LeBron James to join the team on a two-year, $8 million deal. Of course, Embiid’s health will always be a big concern for his team, but it isn’t a factor for them currently.

Joel Embiid offered health update to LeBron James during free agency

ESPN’s Dave McMenamin published a detailed piece on Wednesday that outlined James’ free-agency process and the key aspects that weighed on his decision. One of the biggest points of the article was Embiid telling 76ers general manager Mike Gansey, “I’m healthy,” reiterating the message he sent to James this summer.

While it would take a flurry of injuries to multiple players to lower the team’s floor, Embiid’s ability to stay healthy is imperative. ESPN insider Shams Charania reported that James is expected to spend a lot of time at point guard this season, which likely means the team will be implementing a new offensive system that everyone needs to learn.

The 22-time All-Star is one of the best distributors the league has ever seen, but it will take some time for him to build chemistry with Embiid, Brown and the rest of his new teammates. Luckily, James and Embiid have experience playing together from the 2024 Summer Olympics, but the latter is likely to have a much bigger role for Philadelphia than he did on Team USA.

Although the 76ers’ playoff runs have frequently been derailed by injuries to Embiid and some of his star teammates, that shouldn’t be much of a problem if Embiid remains healthy like he is now. He is in the midst of his first offseason in years where he’s perfecting his craft instead of rehabbing major injuries, so he has a chance to be on the court a lot.

Philadelphia knows it will need their big man for a championship run, but the Sixers have set themselves up to remain extremely competitive even in the event that he does get hurt again. Brown, James and the team’s exciting young guard tandem of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe should be good enough to win a series or two on their own, and history says they’ll get some reps together when Embiid inevitably sits out of some games. Sure, the biggest key to a 76ers championship is still the big man’s health, but they are no longer a one-trick pony.