The Process is hanging on by a literal thread, as Joel Embiid's knee has shown no improvement.
According to ESPN's Shams Charania, Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers are "consulting doctors and considering alternative options, such as surgery, for his injured left knee."
Here are 7 thoughts on the Embiid situation from 94WIP's Eliot Shorr-Parks:
** There are two ways to look at it. Both are true. The human side and the business side. I think you can feel bad for Joel and still be upset at the situation the Sixers are now in. It sucks for Joel and it’s awful for fans too.
** It feels like it’s over for Embiid with the Sixers. I’d say there’s a chance he never plays again in a Sixers uniform. If that’s the case it ends one of the most dominant runs in the franchise history by a player.
** I’d be shocked if he ever goes back to being a dominant player for an entire season. He might have a few more games of great play but his days of being dominant in any kind of meaningful way are over in my opinion.
** I think the criticism of him and his work ethic is mostly wrong. Nobody is perfect. But he was a top five player for like five straight seasons. You don’t do that without working hard.
** The sad truth is his body is just breaking down. He’s a huge human with bad knees. I don’t think any amount of extra work would have changed that. If anything his hard work prolonged his career more than was expected.
** His contract might be the worst in the history of Philly sports. The only optimistic view of it is that if he retires it goes away in a year. But outside of that it is a massive issue for the franchise moving forward
** Joel’s legacy with the Sixers is complicated. He’s one of the most talented players to ever play for the team. He’s one of the most talented centers ever. But the sad truth is he will be remembered as much for the playoff failures/injuries as he will being great. Postseason success really matters. Embiid a great example of that.
Joe DeCamara and Jon Ritchie also discussed the sad state of the Philadelphia 76ers on Monday's 94WIP Morning Show.