It’s been a brutal season of never-ending despondency for Joel Embiid. The 76ers’ star center has only played 13 of the first 44 games of the 2024-25 season because of various injuries. Veteran fans of the Sixers know that Embiid’s frequent health-related “Did Not Plays” (DNPs) aren’t new.

While things seem to be shaping up for the Philadelphia 76ers at the guard position, the Sixers’ frontcourt picture is much more muddled. Any discussion there has to start with Joel Embiid. It used to be the case that the Sixers had a perennial MVP candidate at the center position and the biggest problem was how to fill the 10 minutes per game when he needed to rest on the bench.