Following the loss to the Miami Heat on Monday, the Philadelphia 76ers called a team meeting. The Sixers are currently 2-11, tied for worst record in the league with the Washington Wizards. The team signed Paul George this summer as a free agent, hoping he, Tyrese Maxey, and Joel Embiid can form a superstar trio. So far, that hasn’t been the case.
Philadelphia 76ers Star Tyrese Maxey Calls Out Superstar Teammate Joel Embiid
Veteran guard Kyle Lowry called a team meeting after the loss to the Miami Heat on Monday. The loss was the fourth in a row, and the trio of George, Maxey, and Embiid have yet to play a game together. According to Shams Charania of ESPN, the loss was a much-needed heart-to-heart communication and a call to action. Maxey challenged Embiid and called out the big man to be on time for team activities. He called out the former MVP about being “late for everything” and how that impacts the locker room and other players.
Tyrese Maxey reportedly called out Joel Embiid for always being late 😳, per @ShamsCharania
“In the meeting, Maxey challenged Embiid to be on time to team activities, calling out the former league MVP about being late ‘for everything’ and how it impacts the locker room, from… pic.twitter.com/ZHpadOGtRI
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) November 19, 2024
Tyrese and Embiid have a close relationship and a history of holding each other accountable. Yet, it was time to address the elephant in the room. Before the season even started, Joel Embiid said in an interview that he would not play in back-to-back games, which caused tension in the locker room from the get-go. Players spoke to head coach Nick Nurse, saying they wanted to be coached harder. According to Charania, Embiid accepted the message but he stated that sometimes he is confused about what the team is trying to execute on the court.
Is Embiid Healthy?
Embiid finished last season hurt, and in the Paris Olympics, Team USA coach Steve Kerr limited his minutes. He played mostly against Serbia and France, teams with talented big men in Nikola Jokic and Victor Wembanyama. Before the season started, the Sixers put Embiid on the injury list. Fans began asking questions, given the fact he didn’t get injured between the Olympics and the beginning of the season.
While he is now active and healthy, something is not right with the former MVP. He looks tentative and uncertain on offense. Watching him play, it is clear he has some mobility issues and is not the same aggressive and dominant player on offense. He is not demanding the ball as much, and his jumper looks a bit off. The clear indication is the last game against the Miami Heat when he didn’t get a single free throw attempt. It was only the second time in his career to finish a game with zero FT attempts.
When Will Tyrese Maxey and Joel Embiid Play Together?
Per the last injury reports coming out of the Philadelphia 76ers, Tyrese Maxey will return to action for the team this week. He will play either Wednesday in Memphis or Friday against the Brooklyn Nets in Philadelphia. The team has no back-to-back games, meaning Embiid and George should play in both games. The superstar trio needs to get some chemistry going and learn how to play with each other. With Embiid and George playing together, the team has a minus -26 net rating in 62 minutes of action.
