
The Philadelphia 76ers believe that superstar big man Joel Embiid is the face of the franchise, and his brand-new contract backs up the claim.
The team announced on Tuesday that Embiid, the MVP runner-up, agreed to terms on a four-year, $196 million supermax contract extension, which keeps him with the Sixers through the 2026-27 season. Embiid became eligible for the extension after making the All-NBA second-team for the 2020-21 season.
Embiid is one of the most polarizing players in the NBA, and a fan favorite in Philadelphia. But does the 7-foot, 280-pounder have the skillset and durability to be the centerpiece of a title-winning team?
"This Sixers team is going nowhere until they have a guard who can shoot the ball and a guard who can put up points," JR said during Tuesday's edition of the JR SportBrief show. "Joel Embiid is on an island right now in Philly. Ben Simmons wants off the island, because he's too scared to actually play. Even though you have a great player, an excellent player, Joel Embiid can get the money -- you better max-out this man's prime while he's still in it.
"Because Embiid doesn't strike me as someone who'll last forever -- his feet, his knees tell me otherwise. You better strike while the iron's hot right now... Embiid can be the best player on a championship team. But you know what he needs? A point guard. A killer. He needs someone who's not afraid to take the shot at the end of the game... And I really feel like Embiid is going to be suffering for quite a few years until we find out who that future point guard is."
Embiid, who was selected third overall by Philadelphia in the 2014 NBA draft, averaged a career-high 28.5 points and 10.6 rebounds in 51 regular season games. The 27-year-old also helped lead the Sixers to the best record in the Eastern Conference, and in 11 playoff games this summer, he averaged a team-high 28.1 points, 10.5 boards, and 1.5 blocks.
Of course, there are concerns about Embiid's health. The four-time All-Star missed the first two entire seasons of his career with foot and back issues, and has yet to play more than 64 games in a season. Embiid also suffered a meniscus tear in his right knee during the the 2020-21 playoffs, and missed a total of 41 games across the past two seasons.
JR's complete thoughts on Embiid and the Sixers can be accessed in the audio player above.
You can follow the JR SportBrief show on Twitter @JRSportBrief and Tom Hanslin @TomHanslin.