There was a time when New York Knicks fans looked at Joel Embiid with a mix of frustration and envy and thought, “How on earth are we going to game plan for this guy?” Those days are over. Now? Most are just shaking their heads at how many Philadelphia 76ers fans are still clinging to the idea that he will carry them anywhere.
The Knicks are done with Embiid’s once-promising legacy
It may be time to move on from Joel Embiid. Not because he is no longer great, but because no one truly believes he can stay healthy long enough for it to matter. At this point, Knick fans have seen enough to know the Sixers are betting on a version of Embiid that simply may no longer exist.
He played just 19 games last season before being completely shut down with a lingering left knee issue. That same knee underwent surgery in April, Embiid’s second procedure on it in just over a year. When he is on the court, he is still elite, but that is becoming the rare exception, not the rule.
Since entering the league in 2014, Embiid has missed 400 games and played in 446. That stat alone says everything. Add in that he is now 31 years old, with a long injury history and recurring knee problems, and it is easy to understand why Knicks fans are out on Embiid, even if some Sixers fans are not.
Last year’s numbers, 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists, came in a limited sample. The year before? He was dominant, averaging 34.7 points in just 39 games. But the pattern has not changed. Philly builds around him, he gets hurt, and the season ends early. It has been that way for most of the last decade.
Even the Sixers’ record reflects it: 24-58 last season and no playoff appearance for the first time since 2017. Without Embiid on the floor, the structure falls apart. With him, it is a question of how long it will last.
Meanwhile, in New York, the Knicks are quietly putting together a great roster with a real shot at a championship. They have added some great frontcourt help in Guershon Yabusele, they acquired a bench scorer in Jordan Clarkson, and they even brought in a new coach in Mike Brown. The best part of the Knicks squad is that it is built on actual availability, effort, and fit.
Knicks fans are not being disrespectful (I mean, they are their rivals…so maybe a little); they are being realistic. They are tired of the annual “what if Embiid stays healthy” conversation, because that “if” is doing all the heavy lifting. New York is building something that’s built to last.