76ers’ Joel Embiid: Person who leaked Tyrese Maxey meeting is ‘a real piece of S–t’ | News, results, highlights, stats and rumours

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MEMPHIS, TN - NOVEMBER 20: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies on November 20, 2024 at FedExForum in Memphis, Tennessee. NOTICE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that by downloading and or using this photograph, User consents to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2024 NBAE (Photo by Grant Burke/NBAE via Getty Images)

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Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid was less than thrilled about some of the team’s internal business making its way to the public.

ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Tuesday that the Sixers had a team meeting after their 106-89 loss to the Miami Heat. During the discussion, guard Tyrese Maxey “challenged Embiid to be on time for team activities, calling out the league’s 2022-23 MVP for being late ‘to everything’ and how that affects the locker room.”

Embiid was blunt when asked about the meeting Wednesday night.

“Whoever leaked it is a real piece of s–t,” he told reporters after Philly fell 117-111 to the Memphis Grizzlies. “But even then we talked about a lot of things. I don’t want to get into the details, but the whole thing probably took 30 seconds.”

The Athletics’ Tony Jones offered more:

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba

Among other things, Embiid took responsibility for being late and told the media that he plans to improve:
“I’ve got to be better. I’ve got to be perfect, I’ve got to be on track, which I’m going to do,” Embiid said

Tony Jones @Tjonesonthenba

Embiid said he welcomed the criticism and he said so on the record so I don’t think it’s https://t.co/7HueCLDT77

Embiid’s frustration is somewhat understandable. You always want to hope that you can prevent something like the details of a closed meeting from getting outside the room.

But publishing Maxey’s direct criticism of the seven-time All-Star also feels like someone at the Sixers made sure the message got out. If punctuality continues to be an issue with the star of Embiid’s pedigree, then desperate measures are called for.

Yaron Weitzman @Yaron Weitzman

Maxey may legitimately be the first person in the Sixers organization to ever seriously confront Embiid about these things, none of which are new. It started when he first entered the NBA (the episode from the book excerpt below takes place in 2015), and even in recent years, there have been… pic.twitter.com/tUCNOAWhH6

NBA on ESPN @ESPNNBA

“I’ve never seen a player as big as this, like a Joel Embiid, get called out by some of the youngest players in his camp.”@Rjeff24 at the Sixers’ latest team meeting. pic.twitter.com/eownLrBWte

Based on Wednesday night’s game, history has lit a fire under the 2022-23 MVP. He had 35 points, 11 rebounds and a block against Memphis, by far his best output so far this year. He had not scored more than 20 points in any of his previous three outings.

The fact that the Sixers lost signaled that the general drama surrounding the organization might not slow down anytime soon.

Philadelphia is now 2-12 and sits alone at the bottom of the NBA standings. Paul George could also be heading for another spell on the sidelines injures his left knee against the Grizzlies.

Despite their terrible start, there was a sense of optimism about the 76ers. They have too much talent to stay this bad, and they’re still just four games out of the sixth seed in the Eastern Conference.

But maybe things won’t get much better in Philly.

Mike Sielski @Mike Sielski

It’s not just that #Sixes is on its way to 2.-12. It’s that they haven’t won a game in regulation yet, and if this deficit holds, 10 of their losses will have been by double figures. They have given no reason to believe they can salvage their season.

Should the team’s season continue to spiral, the revelations of organizational discord may only be beginning.