Amid a 2-11 start to the season that puts them last in the East, and with their trio of star players Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey still yet to play a game at all Together, the Philadelphia 76ers held a meeting after Monday night’s 106-89 loss to the Miami Heat.
The loss was the team’s fourth in a row, prompting veteran Kyle Lowry to call a team meeting – a necessary heart-to-heart and a call to action as well as urgency, he said. that sources have reported to ESPN. The players and coaches have taken responsibility for the start of the season.
Maxey challenged Embiid to be on time for team activities, pointing out that the 2022-23 season MVP was late “for everything.” This attitude would affect other players and staff members, sources told ESPN.
Maxey and Embiid have a close friendship and a history of holding each other accountable, according to people close to the team.
“Tyrese loves him, but he’s the elephant in the room,” said one person involved in the encounter.
Players have told 76ers coach Nick Nurse they want to be coached harder and coaches have said they want players to train with attention to detail.
Embiid agreed with the messages sent in the meeting, according to sources, but said he is sometimes confused by what the 76ers are trying to do on the field.
Embiid, who was questionable for part of the day Monday due to illness, was not seen by several of his teammates and coaches during the day before being present for the game’s warmup. Monday evening.
Maxey is seen as a young leader by many in the organization and those around the team weren’t surprised he spoke Monday. He has been sidelined since Nov. 7 with a right hamstring injury, but sources said he expects to be back in action this week, either Wednesday against Memphis or Friday at home against the Nets from Brooklyn.
Philadelphia transformed its roster this offseason after losing in six games to the New York Knicks in the first round of the playoffs. The Sixers added nine-time All-Star George to a four-year, $212 million contract.
After years of trying to find the right players to surround Embiid – from Jimmy Butler to Ben Simmons to James Harden – the Sixers believed they had found the perfect pair in George and Maxey.
