"He can barely move" - Stephen A. Smith pushes bold 'retirement' idea for Joel Embiid over nagging knee injury

Dating back to the start of his NBA career, injuries have always been a dark cloud hanging over Joel Embiid. As the former MVP continues to deal with physical ailments, one longtime analyst gave a blunt take regarding his future.

After back-to-back seasons of playing in at least 66 games, things took a turn for the worst for Embiid last year. During a matchup against the Golden State Warriors, he suffered a knee injury after Jonathan Kuminga awkwardly fell on him. This would require surgery, resulting in Embiid not returning until just before the postseason.

Almost a year removed from the incident, Embiid is still dealing with the effects of this injury. He's played in just 19 games so far this season and has looked far from the superstar we've grown accustomed to seeing.

As Joel Embiid continues to try to play despite not being 100%, Stephen A. Smith gave his thoughts on the Philadelphia 76ers star center. While on First Take Monday, he argued if Embiid should consider retiring at this point.

"Embiid looks like he can barely move, his health is awful" Stephen A. said. "If you Embiid, you're kind of wondering should you consider retiring and taking the insurance money."

In the 19 games he's played this season, Embiid is averaging 23.8 PPG, 8.2 rebounds and 4.5 assists. As for the Sixers, they sit in 12th place in the Eastern Conference with about 25 games to go.

---

76ers to meet with more specialists in hope of finding answer for Joel Embiid

With a week off for the All-Star break, most expected that Joel Embiid would look refreshed as the Philadelphia 76ers make a push for the play-in. However, that has not been the case. Following a pair of lackluster showings, reports emerged of the franchise taking action with its star big man.

In his first game out of the break, Embiid recorded 15 points against the Boston Celtics on 3-for-9 shooting. He followed that up by recording 14 points in a last-second loss to the Brooklyn Nets. What stood out most from this performance was Nick Nurse opted to bench Embiid for the entire fourth quarter.

On Sunday evening, NBA insider Shams Charania reported the latest on Joel Embiid. The Sixers plan on meeting doctors and are weighing "alternative options" regarding rehabbing his injured knee.

With the 76ers out of the playoff picture, debates have been had among fans and analysts about if the team should shut down Embiid for the rest of the season. It's clear they aren't close to contending in 2025, and this would allow him a head start on getting healthy for the future.

As of now, the Sixers have not stated anything about shutting down Embiid.