Joel Embiid is screwed. It was just yesterday when Shaquille O’Neal criticized Embiid on his attitude for not playing so far, because of his torn lateral meniscus injury and boldly blurted, “I say this respectfully: Joel Embiid will never win a championship until he gets his mind and his attitude right”. Just hours later, former hoopster, Chandler Parsons and popular host Michelle Beadle are here to question The Process and suggest that all this is costing not his career but the Sixers!

The Philly big man had missed 9 games until yesterday’s one against the Knicks, where he scored 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 5 assists. The Process had faced backlash for his consistent “out” status because of the injury that happened in January against the Warriors. After which he went to play in the Olympics, but then couldn’t in the NBA. He was also suspended for 3 games where he shoved columnist Marcus Hayes.

But, here’s former Hawks forward, Chandler Parsons, who suggests that Embiid might be injured, and it’s the best decision to rest him. He said on Run It Back on FanDuel TV, “The outside world thinks Joel Embiid is healthy. He knows he’s not, so he’s playing, but he’s not playing well. Personally, for him and the team, it’s just best to shut him down. Have him ready, for next season.”

“You still get Paul George and Tyrese Maxey back… He (Embiid) wanna play at the Olympics, they want to get a gold medal,” he said, after the host interjected and said the former MVP was supposed to ‘get better’ before last season. Although Parsons sounds supportive of Embiid, veteran reporter Beadle looked to be the opposite with her firm stance.

She’s criticizing The Process along with Sixers management and decision-making. She said, “Also remember when he looked like in the playoffs against the Knicks? Then he looked like the way he did it in the Olympics. So where in the period of the time, were there supposed to be questions to getting better? There was just not.”

She isn’t wrong. In all 6 games in the playoffs games against the Knicks, which started on the 21st of April and ended on the 3rd of May, he scored 198 points combined in all 6 games. Also in the 2024 Paris Olympics, he played 5 games and averaged 11.2 points, 3.8 rebounds, and 1.4 assists per game. This led to a question: how did a player so critically injured, play so well, then?

However, she further states, “So, it’s at the cost of Sixers. That’s where it’s gonna get ugly. I’m afraid.” Well, the team has already faced a fine of $100,000 because of public statements made by Daryl Morey and Nick Nurse that led to an inconsistent trail of updates on Joel Embiid’s health status. Not only that, they’ve also faced too many losses, regardless of being with/without their big man (8-2). However, despite all the backlash, his former teammate Danny Green believes he will return strong!

“He can get back there”: Danny Green on Joel Embiid’s return to his dominance

“Overall, I felt pretty good health-wise. I think it’s just about trusting myself,” Joel Embiid said on his return yesterday. His journey from being an MVP to an Olympian to the recent injuries have raised serious questions about his future. For someone who is known as one of the best centers in the NBA, this uncertainty led to fans and analysts doubting his abilities. Although the hoopster didn’t look as dominating against the Knicks, Danny Green had a quick and unwavering response.

He was on SportsCenter and was asked if Joel Embiid could return to his peak form. He said, “Yes,” but was also realistic about the timeline. “I think we have a short window of that. I don’t think we will see it for another five years, but it could be another Joel for the next two or three years.” He further stated, “Yes. We have a short span, another month or two, he can get back there.”

While Green seems to be cautiously optimistic, the Philly big man is sure about his full-fledged return. “Thought I was a little timid, so I stuck with a lot of jumpers just to get myself a little comfortable. But as the games go, I’m sure just getting back to myself is gonna be easier,” he said after yesterday’s match. With this, one question remains: Can Embiid, still a top-tier talent, regain his MVP-level performance? Or have the injuries taken too much of a toll? The clock is ticking—how much time does he truly have left at his best?