The Philadelphia 76ers’ season has barely begun, and they’re already making waves—but not for their gameplay. Instead, the NBA’s new load management rules and the team’s injury concerns have put them under scrutiny. Both Joel Embiid and Paul George missed the season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks due to injuries, a scenario many feared could happen when George was traded from the Clippers to the Sixers. George’s injury history was part of the reason the Clippers let him go, and now that he’s in Philly, the Sixers are learning just how challenging it might be to keep their new lineup intact.
Despite a high-stakes game on opening night, the Sixers suffered without their star duo. But for Philadelphia, the regular season is just a means to an end; their real target is a championship. Embiid has publicly downplayed his interest in personal accolades and emphasized his focus on postseason health. He’s even announced he won’t play in back-to-back games, which, along with other expected missed games, makes him ineligible for awards like MVP due to the NBA’s new 65-game minimum requirement for individual honors.
The Sixers’ approach, while strategic, isn’t sitting well with the NBA. In response to increased instances of players missing games, the league has implemented regulations aimed at reducing load management. Specifically, teams are now prohibited from resting multiple stars during nationally televised games, which is exactly what the Sixers did on opening night. Consequently, the league is investigating the Sixers to determine if they violated this new rule.
For the Sixers, this scrutiny and potential fines may be minor setbacks in their larger scheme to keep their team fresh for the playoffs. They’ve had regular-season success in previous years without clinching a championship, and now, with a robust roster and a seasoned coach, their focus has shifted entirely to a playoff run. As a team with a legitimate shot at the title, the Sixers might be willing to pay any fines if it means preserving player health.
The NBA, however, is likely to continue tightening regulations around load management. While the league may impose fines, some analysts believe that the only way to truly mitigate this trend would be to increase the importance of playoff seeding. Presently, many teams, especially championship hopefuls like the Sixers, don’t see seeding as a strong enough motivator to risk key players’ health in regular-season games. For teams like Philadelphia, the primary concern is being well-prepared and healthy for the postseason, even if that means disregarding regular-season awards and possible league penalties.
