Sixers

The NBA is Now Fining the Sixers for Playing Joel Embiid

By Kyle Pagan

Published: Dec 3rd, 2025 · 2:35 PM EST

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You can’t make this stuff up. Adam Silver’s NBA is a circus:

The NBA fined the Philadelphia 76ers $100,000 for violating injury reporting rules when they listed Joel Embiid as "out" against the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 30 and he subsequently played.

— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) December 3, 2025

They used to fine the Sixers for the opposite, for violating injury reports and keeping Joel Embiid on the shelf. Now the guy is playing and they’re fining him:

Damn now they’re fining this man for PLAYING? 😂😂 pic.twitter.com/4OBdsGg4GG

— Luka in LA (@LakerLukaSZN77) December 3, 2025

Adam Silver will do everything in his power to bleed the Sixers dry for as long as he can. What does he want them to do? A guy with a history of injuries wakes up and realizes he can play after missing the nine previous games. So what? Once you hit your 30s you wake up wondering what body part is going to hurt that morning. Could be anything. Sleep on your neck weird and you can’t turn it for the next 36 hours. Get a dead arm cause your wife or girlfriend slept on it? Good luck raising it over your shoulder. The body is a mixed bag after 30. Have some grace. Not to mention, at some point I feel like the Sixers medical staff just assumed “OUT” because their bodies are even going through the motions at this point. If anything, Embiid playing was an early Christmas present for Sixers fans. A Christmas miracle, some would say!

Sidenote: I’M at the stage where I feel bad for Embiid. You can hear in his voice how much he wants to play, but his body just isn’t cooperating. It’s tough to be the realize you’re not that guy from a couple years ago anymore:

.@KyleNeubeck asked Embiid if Maxey's great play has added any extra urgency.

"I do feel bad. Obviously the minutes that he has to play, the load that he has to handle. I've been there. I know how it feels. You just gotta trust in what you're doing, and in God, and be okay with… pic.twitter.com/dUa3YWI2qD

— PHLY Sixers (@PHLY_Sixers) December 1, 2025

Luckily for the Sixers they have the new face of the franchise and his name is Tyrese Maxey. Though as you listen to Embiid’s answer above, you wonder how much longer he can shoulder the majority of the offense. He’s playing unsustainable minutes that are going to put wear and tear on the body. Without some consistent help he’s going to be the next Sixers star run into the ground. Then it’ll be VJ Edgecombe’s turn:

H🤯LY VJ EDGECOMBE. pic.twitter.com/gsYigJBwMj

— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) December 3, 2025

Time is a flat circle.