Joel Embiid’s scoring has never been the issue. For the 76ers, the bigger question is whether he can get back to being the kind of defensive force that changes games at the other end. That’s the point Kendrick Perkins drove home in a recent ESPN segment, where he put Embiid on notice about what Philadelphia needs from him this season.
Perkins called Embiid a controlling factor for the 76ers and said the superstar big man has to be healthy and available. But he didn’t stop there. He also argued that Embiid should scale back his offensive load and lock in on defense, adding that the former Most Valuable Player needs to have the mentality of wanting to be in the DPOY conversation.
That challenge matters because Embiid was not at his best defensively last season. His scoring still came, but his limited foot speed and verticals showed up when opponents dragged him away from the paint. The Knicks took advantage by repeatedly switching him onto perimeter players, forcing him to chase in space and exposing that speed deficit.
If New York could find that kind of success, other teams will surely look at the tape and follow the same blueprint. The NBA copies what works, and until Embiid can shut that approach down, he’s going to keep getting tested.
There was a time when Embiid’s defensive peak made a Defensive Player of the Year run realistic. That road is a lot steeper now with Victor Wembanyama in the league, but even being in the conversation would say plenty about where Embiid’s game is heading. It would mean he’s back to anchoring the 76ers on that end.
Philadelphia’s stars are going to get judged by more than how many points they can pile up. The Sixers have plenty of scoring punch with four All-NBA players in the lineup, so the real separator is whether they can become a team that stops people too. Embiid sits at the center of that idea, and if he can’t get close to his usual level defensively, the 76ers will be easier to attack with quicker lineups.
Perkins’ message was simple, and for Philadelphia it makes sense: Embiid’s offense comes naturally, but the team’s best path runs through him reclaiming his edge as a defensive anchor.
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