"Daryl Morey is in a world of trouble"- Stephen A. Smith unveils billionaire 76ers owner’s doubts about signing Joel Embiid amid knee worries

It appears that the Philadelphia 76ers were reluctant to re-sign Joel Embiid due to his nagging knee injury. NBA insider Stephen A. Smith reported that 76ers organization partner Josh Harris expressed disinterest in offering Embiid a contract extension. Resigning Embiid was one of the priorities for Sixers GM Daryl Morey.

Unfortunately for the Sixers, Embiid was ruled out for the remainder of the season on Friday. This proved Josh Harris' sentiments of not wanting to sign Joel right. Having that said, Daryl Morey's decision to re-sign the big man could backfire on him.

Joel Embiid's extension was granted last summer. Philly offered him a three-year extension worth $192.9 million.

“I’m hearing rumors that Josh Harris was very reluctant to sign Joel Embiid to this extension and Daryl Morey was the one who said we got to do it," Stephen A. Smith reported. "If that's the truth, Daryl Morey is in a world of trouble."

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Joel Embiid ruled out for remainder of season

Philly fans shouldn't expect the Philadelphia 76ers to climb up the ladder anytime soon. Considering the Sixers put a respectable effort into building the roster, it will likely not bear any fruit until the next season They brought in Paul George and drafted one of the best rookies, Jared McCain.

Unfortunately for the team, things have not gone to plan. Embiid failed to play consistently due to a knee injury he suffered prior to the start of the 2024-25 season, playing a total of 19 games this season. Embiid last played against the Brooklyn Nets last February 22.

Fast forward to Friday, February 28, the 76ers organization made the decision to sit Joel Embiid out for the rest of the season. This was due to his medical clearance coming out negative. Embiid was reported to be medically unable to play. The big man even acknowledged before that he needed to go through special treatment.

"I think the straightforward answer is that when you’ve got something that’s inconsistent, at some point, you’ve got to do something about it,” Embiid said. “We don’t know what it is. We’re looking into every option.”

At the time of writing, Embiid and the Sixers are looking for a more efficient plan for his recovery. While there is no timetable as to how long it'll take for the 76ers star to fully heal his knee, he has seven months to prepare for the 2025-26 season.