Joel Embiid is in the news once again. Looks like his new ‘normal’ has been a mainstay in the NBA headlines. Sadly, his dominant play is not the reason the former MVP has been going viral. Most recently, the Philadelphia 76ers’ season took another hit when details from a confidential team meeting were made public, stirring up drama. Embiid, never one to mince words, reacted swiftly and with his trademark honesty. Addressing the breach directly, he voiced frustration over the incident’s impact on the team.

The leaked information revealed cracks in the team’s unity, piling more pressure on an already turbulent start to the year. When ESPN revealed details from the Sixers’ locker room meeting after Monday’s blown lead against Miami, tensions quickly escalated.

Days later, “One league figure close to Philadelphia’s All-Star center told me: ‘Joel is going to be furious.’ And that Embiid was going to try and find the Sixers’ supposed snitch,” via The Stein Line.

Joel Embiid didn’t hold back on Wednesday night when he addressed the public leak of a private team meeting. With characteristic bluntness, he declared, “Whoever leaked that is a real piece of s–t.” His frustration was evident, highlighting just how seriously he takes team dynamics and trust. You can tell Embiid wasn’t just speaking out of anger; he was pointing out a deeper issue.

Injuries to key players have disrupted the 76ers’ season. Knee issues sidelined Joel Embiid and Paul George for several games, while Tyrese Maxey missed game-time with a hamstring strain. Wednesday’s matchup against the Grizzlies marked the trio’s first start together this season. Sadly, it was short-lived, as George exited by the third quarter after re-injuring his left knee.

It is known that this was Shams Charania who brought out the locker room details and has been facing flak for his actions. Critics have accused the Insider of breaching professional boundaries, with many questioning how such sensitive information became public.

Shams Charania defends himself, meanwhile, Paul George is shocked!

Shams addressed criticism surrounding his report on the 76ers’ recent team meeting during his interview on The Pat McAfee Show. The report, which emerged on Tuesday, claimed Tyrese Maxey had “challenged” Joel Embiid about his tardiness during a meeting held after Philadelphia’s embarrassing 106-89 loss to Miami. Heading into the Sixers’ Wednesday game against Memphis, the narrative sparked discussions across the league.

Charania didn’t shy away from the controversy, standing firm on his role as a journalist. “I’m just literally doing my job. That’s literally all I’m doing,” he explained. “I do think there’s a level of respect on both sides, but in every situation, there are dozens and dozens of people with knowledge of anything. I literally, every day, just want to do my job.” Honestly, you have to respect the confidence here—imagine facing backlash like this and sticking to your guns.

George, who attended the meeting, expressed his shock over Charania’s detailed report during his Podcast P with Paul George episode. George called it “absurd,” adding that the level of detail was like Charania had “word-for-word” access to what was said.

If I were in George’s shoes, I’d probably feel the same—how does someone get that much inside intel? Despite his surprise, PG-13 described the meeting as productive and insisted it wouldn’t negatively impact the team. “I think it was a positive thing. It’s normal for us to have these discussions to fix things,” he said.

With the tension surrounding this report lingering, the Sixers now look ahead to their Saturday clash with the Brooklyn Nets. It’s a chance to shift focus back to the hoop and strengthen their footing. Let’s see if this meeting actually leads to some results.