Joel Embiid confronted a local columnist inside the Philadelphia 76ers’ locker room on Saturday night, cursing him out and eventually shoving him for references to his son and deceased brother in a recent critical story. The NBA has now suspended Embiid for three games.
Embiid still hasn’t played this season as he works his way back from what the team is calling “left knee management.” The 76ers, expected to be one of the best teams in the East entering the season, are now 1-5 to start the year. The Sixers have already been fined $100K this season for failing to disclose what was keeping Embiid out of the lineup.
The suspension starts when Embiid is listed as healthy enough to play.
The NBA has suspended Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid for three games for altercation shoving a columnist in a postgame locker room. pic.twitter.com/odkbFwuA0p
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 5, 2024
The suspension will cost Embiid more than $1 million in salary:
The 3 game suspension will cost Joel Embiid $1,063,778.
The suspension will start with the first NBA game for when Embiid can play.
— Bobby Marks (@BobbyMarks42) November 5, 2024
Embiid took issue with Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes for referencing his family members in a story criticizing Embiid’s lack of availability this season.
Here’s the part Embiid didn’t like:
This is what Marcus Hayes wrote in a column last week that Joel Embiid took umbrage with.
Zero reason to enter the man’s son into the conversation here. pic.twitter.com/Z4dHMi4Ioh
— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) November 3, 2024
Hayes was out of line, but Embiid still put his hands on a media member like that.
The Sixers face the Clippers and Lakers on the road in their next two games. Paul George finally made his season debut for Philly on Monday night in a close loss to the Phoenix Suns. Philadelphia needs to start winning soon or they will be in a real hole.
