Joel Embiid has delivered the message Philadelphia needed to hear heading into its biggest season in years: he is healthy and ready to lead.
The former MVP reportedly gave that assurance directly to the 76ers’ front office this summer and repeated it to LeBron James during recruitment conversations. James ultimately signed a two-year, $8 million deal, joining Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown for an aggressive championship run.
Philadelphia’s projected starting five now features Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, Brown, James and Embiid, giving head coach Nick Nurse a lineup loaded with scoring, size and playmaking. James is expected to handle significant point guard responsibilities while operating alongside Maxey in the backcourt.
Everything still revolves around Embiid’s body holding up. He has appeared in only 96 games across the past three seasons and missed most of last year. His medical history includes a fractured right foot that cost him his first two NBA seasons, multiple procedures on his left knee, a right LCL sprain, knee tendinitis and two orbital fractures.
Embiid has also dealt with Bell’s palsy during the 2024 playoffs and underwent an emergency appendectomy before the 2026 postseason.
That history explains why optimism around Philadelphia comes with intense attention. When available, Embiid remains one of basketball’s most dominant interior forces, capable of producing at an MVP level and completely reshaping a playoff series.
The Sixers have assembled the talent for a title push. Training camp will now provide the first real test of whether Embiid’s encouraging health update can finally carry through an entire season.
