January 30, 2024, is a date Joel Embiid will never forget. It’s when his struggles began. A game against the Warriors left the Philadelphia 76ers without their star, and despite undergoing surgery, he just couldn’t get back to his full potential. And now he’s out for the remaining season. Rest? Rehabilitation? Surgery? What does the franchise do to help their main man get back on track? As the team wrestles with these tough decisions, new revelations have surfaced about the future.

On the latest episode of First Take Stephen A. Smith disclosed, “There are rumors that owner Josh Harris was very reluctant to sign Joel Embiid to this extension.” That’s not so shocking considering how inconsistent Embiid’s impact has been. But what turned things around for the big man? “Daryl Morey was the one who said, ‘We got to do it,'” Stephen A. stated. “If that’s the truth, Daryl Morey is in a world of trouble.”

Embiid signed a $193 million extension last September, locking him in with the team till the 2028-29 season. But, according to the ESPN analyst, the managing partner was hesitant to make the deal. It took some convincing from President Morey to seal the deal. Now, while Embiid has been a scoring machine when healthy, his knee injury has slowed him down. Instead of racking up numbers, he’s been more on the sidelines this season, suiting up only 19 times.

Embiid’s season-ending injury could be bad news for Morey since he was the one who pushed to keep him. With the 76ers now in a bad spot, Smith hints that Morey’s job could be on the line. But it’s not just Morey’s future that’s uncertain right now.

Joel Embiid’s future uncertain as 76ers seek a potential escape

This sideline might not be just for this season, it very well could be over for Embiid. How? Reports have it that the franchise could seek a “medical retirement” for the 7-footer. This was shared Legion Hoop on X quoting insider Keith Smith.

He mentioned that if Embiid doesn’t play for a year after his last game, which would be February 22, 2025, the franchise could potentially end his contract. Embiid is signed for four more seasons and $248 million. “At that point, an independent doctor selected by the NBA and NBPA would examine Embiid. If agreed he can no longer play, his remaining contract would be wiped off the books for the Sixers,” the Spotrac contributor explained. Keith later clarified that he didn’t expect this scenario to unfold. He was just merely answering a hypothetical question about what could happen if Embiid doesn’t return to play.

There have already been calls for the Sixers to take serious steps regarding Joel Embiid, otherwise, they wouldn’t be able to compete for the title. But now all they can do is wait for his recovery. How things will turn out from here on and whether this break will revive Embiid’s career or mark the end of his time with the 76ers, is a question for the future.