[Saba Sports News] Newly appointed Philadelphia 76ers head coach, Nick Nurse, recently discussed the team’s unconventional plan for their star player, Embiid, in an interview with Ky Carlin of Sixers Wire. Nurse revealed their intention to increase Embiid’s regular season game appearances.
Nurse stated, ‘We may be approaching it differently than people expect. We want him to play more games. Our goal is to increase his workload, not reduce it. It’s what we believe in here, though we acknowledge the uncertainties that can arise.’
Embiid, who will turn 30 next season, has generally shown durability in recent regular seasons, playing 68 games in 2021-22 and 66 in the previous year, averaging 34.2 minutes per game during that time. However, his aggressive style of play often results in postseason injuries, such as the orbital fracture in 2022 and a knee sprain in 2023.
The NBA is planning to crack down on non-injury-related ‘load management’ absences by star players next season, although it’s unclear to what extent this influenced the 76ers’ strategy.
Nevertheless, Nurse, an NBA championship-winning coach who recently replaced Doc Rivers in Philadelphia, appears committed to maximizing Embiid’s workload in the upcoming season.