The Philadelphia 76ers were fined $100,000 by the NBA for misrepresenting why star center Joel Embiid is not currently playing, the league announced Tuesday.
The league said Embiid, who has missed the 76ers’ first three games, is out because of a left knee “condition.” The team is not violating the NBA’s player participation policy, which requires all healthy players to be available for games, the league ruled, but the fine was levied for public statements explaining Embiid’s absence made by team president of basketball operations Daryl Morey and coach Nick Nurse, which were deemed misleading.
The NBA opened an investigation after Embiid missed the team’s season opener last week, which was televised nationally on ESPN. At the time, Nurse said Embiid was out because of the team’s “plan” and he “did not re-injure himself,” while Morey said the Sixers were prioritizing Embiid’s health come playoff time over early regular-season games.
One league source, with knowledge of the NBA’s investigation, said that while it is true Embiid did not suffer a new injury to his surgically repaired left knee during the Olympics, the knee was unstable enough that there was concern about further damage being done if Embiid had played last week. The Sixers had listed “left knee injury management” as the reason for his absences, and league sources say that determination was found to be accurate by the NBA. Embiid, in their determination, is dealing with a legitimate left knee issue.
But league sources say the NBA focused on the contrast between the Sixers’ public statements in its investigation. On the one hand, Sixers officials had publicly indicated that Embiid did not suffer a setback or any new injury heading into the season. On the other, they had openly shared the plans to avoid having Embiid play in any back-to-backs this season.
In an interview with ESPN, Morey indicated that both Embiid and his Sixers co-star, Paul George, would not play in back-to-backs. More specifically, league sources say the messaging — that the playoffs were a major priority and the regular season was not — was a significant part of the decision to fine the Sixers as well.
There is a business backdrop that most certainly came into play, as the NBA is one season away from beginning its new media rights partnerships with Amazon, NBC and ESPN. The notion of star players taking part in high-profile regular season games, in turn, is a pivotal part of the league’s financial equation going forward.
The Sixers, who have also been without George after he suffered a hyperextension to his left knee in the preseason, have lost two of their first three games. They host the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday night.
(Photo: Tim Nwachukwu / Getty Images)
