Joel Embiid Reportedly Won't Be Held out of Team Workouts Without New Contract

Conflicting reports surfaced Thursday regarding Joel Embiid's pursuit of a new contract as the Philadelphia 76ers center enters the final guaranteed year of his rookie deal.Howard Eskin of 94WIP in Philadelphia reported (via CBS Philly'sAndrew Porter)Embiid's agent, Leon Rose, was looking to get his client an extension before he worked out in five-on-five situations with the team. However, theBucks County Courier Times' Tom Moore spoke to an NBA source who said there's "nothing to the reports" of Embiid planning to sit out team scrimmages.76ers head coach Brett Brown also refuted the rumors, saying they're "just not true" in an interview on 94WIP'sCarlin & Reese.Among the players from the 2014 draft due an extension, nobody is more intriguing than Embiid.The 23-year-old didn't make his regular-season debut until last season, two full years after Philadelphia selected him with the third overall pick.Embiid lived up to the hype on the court as he averaged 28.7 points, 11.1 rebounds and 3.5 per 36 minutes in 31 games, according toBasketball Reference. But injuries again were an issue as he didn't play after Jan. 27 and the team finally ruled him out for the rest of the season with atorn meniscusin March.No one player has been more synonymous with the Sixers' plans to tank their way to a title than Embiid, whoonce toldthe team's public address announcer to call him "The Process." And after Philadelphia traded centerNerlens Noel to the Dallas Mavericks, it's clear the team sees Embiid as a big part of its future."Look, I'd just say we want Joel to be on the team for a long time," Sixers managing owner Josh Harris said in June, perMoore. "We want us all to grow old together. That's the way I would put it."At the same time, giving Embiid a new contract now would be a big gamble, and even waiting until the end of the year would carry some risk considering he'd have played a year and a half since entering the league.Given Embiid's injury history, it seems doubtful he and the Sixers will reach an agreement on an extension before the Oct. 31 deadline. Should that happen, it will be interesting to see what kind of offers Embiid would receive in restricted free agency.
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