Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

'Is too heavy…' Dwight Howard claims Joel Embiid is 20 pounds away from unlocking full potential

Originally posted on FirstSportz | By Gerard Crispin | Last updated 5/9/24

Joel Embiid is currently one of the best centers in the NBA. However, injuries have hampered Embiid from unlocking his full potential in the sport. Essentially, Dwight Howard , an ex-NBA player believes he knows the reason that will allow Embiid to unlock his full potential and live injury-free.

On the OGs Podcast, Dwight Howard offered his observations on Joel Embiid’s struggles with injuries despite his obvious skill and adaptability as a center for the Philadelphia 76ers . He expressed worries about how his weight was affecting his play and recommended that he shed twenty pounds to lessen the load on his knees.

I think [Joel Embiid] is too heavy for the wear and tear of an NBA season… I think if he loses 20 pounds it’ll be great for his knees. Dwight Howard said

Howard made his message clear to Embiid and believes that he will be one of the best in the upcoming NBA seasons.

“I think [Joel Embiid] is too heavy for the wear and tear of an NBA season… I think if he loses 20 pounds it’ll be great for his knees.”

Dwight Howard on Embiid’s injury history ️

(via @theOGsShow) pic.twitter.com/8HNNSa0QCw
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) May 8, 2024

On the contrary, Joel Embiid has not been himself this season at the Philadelphia Sixers. His recent performances against the New York Knicks have raised concerns that he may opt to leave the team after the 2023-24 NBA season. It remains to be seen what happens next regarding Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Sixers are looking to build around Joel Embiid for the 2024-25 NBA season

NBA All-Star Joel Embiid is one of the main players that the Sixers possess. The Sixers’ season eventually ended against the New York Knicks in round 1 of the NBA playoffs. However, according to Sixers’ general manager, Daryl Morey , there will be a lot of changes this season in a bid to build a team around Embiid and Tyrese Maxey .

Daryl Morey says it’ll be a big offseason for the Sixers, who have “two great studs” to build around in Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey and one of the NBA’s best coaches in Nick Nurse.

Said he owes it “to fans, to ownership and to everyone” to make the team a contender pic.twitter.com/0LeQDWR98G
— Sam DiGiovanni (@BySamDiGiovanni) May 6, 2024

This is mainly because this summer, more than half of the Sixers players’ contracts will expire.

We're not going to have continuity, We'll have continuity with our stars and our head coach, but we're going to have a lot of changes this season. Daryl Morey said

Morey sent out a clear message that apart from their star players, Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, no one’s position is safe on the roster. The Associated Press reports that the Sixers’ cap space in free agency will be approximately $65 million. It remains to be seen now what happens next with the Sixers’ squad-building process in the summer.

This article first appeared on FirstSportz and was syndicated with permission.

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