Charles Barkley has never been one to mince words, and his recent comments on the Philadelphia 76ers’ plan to load-manage Joel Embiid are no exception. With the 76ers planning to limit Embiid’s playing time during the 2024-25 season to keep him healthy for the playoffs, Barkley openly criticized the move, comparing basketball to physically taxing professions and questioning the fairness of this decision to fans.
“I don’t have any idea what the 76ers are doing,” Barkley vented during a segment on Inside the NBA. “He just signed for 3 years, $193 million. To play basketball. We’re not steel workers, we’re not nurses. People with real jobs work 40-50 hours a week. We’re playing basketball, at the most, 4 days a week, most of the time 3 days a week.”
Embiid, the reigning MVP, has struggled with injuries, playing only 39 games last season and pushing through pain to maintain eligibility for awards. Although he returned to the court in late season, his health issues contributed to Philadelphia’s early playoff exit. Now, the 76ers’ strategy involves resting him for back-to-back games, hoping to have a healthy Embiid come playoff time. Barkley, however, slammed the decision to announce this in advance, calling it “stupidity by the 76ers.”
NBA Investigates 76ers’ Load Management
The NBA is now investigating the 76ers’ load-management plan, scrutinizing Embiid’s non-participation in nationally televised games, starting with their season-opening loss to the Milwaukee Bucks. Under the NBA’s new Player Participation Policy, teams are subject to examination when sitting star players without valid medical reasons, especially during games broadcast nationwide.
This investigation comes as the NBA increasingly clamps down on load management, demanding that marquee players appear in more games to maintain the quality of matchups. For the 76ers, this scrutiny could lead to sanctions if they cannot justify their management of Embiid’s schedule.
Philadelphia insists the approach is essential to keep Embiid healthy, with ESPN reporting that he is “responding well to his individualized plan” and is expected to return after routine assessments from team doctors. Embiid also missed the entire preseason and may sit out the upcoming games against Toronto and Indiana, further raising questions about the 76ers’ long-term intentions.
Barkley’s Frustration: Fairness to Fans
For Barkley, the crux of the issue lies in fairness. He argues that fans pay top dollar to watch stars like Embiid, who, he says, should be on the floor if physically able. “Just say, ‘I’m going to play 25 minutes on the second night of a back-to-back,’ but don’t plan to skip games entirely,” Barkley fumed.
As the debate intensifies, it’s clear that load management is more than a medical strategy; it’s a polarizing issue that challenges the league’s responsibility to both players’ health and fan expectations. Will the 76ers’ gamble on Embiid’s health be worth it, or is Barkley right in calling it a misguided strategy? Fans and critics alike will be watching as this season unfolds.
