Stephen A. Smith believes a Philadelphia 76ers team could win a ring without Joel Embiid at full strength.
There's no denying LeBron James would greatly boost the Philadelphia 76ers' chances of winning a championship next season.
However, a greater question would still loom over his arrival: Can Joel Embiid stay healthy? It's the same ask that has plagued the 76ers' organization for roughly a decade.
NBA analyst Stephen A. Smith shared a surprising take on this situation, arguing a healthy Embiid is a luxury, not a necessity if James signs with Philadelphia.
"If Joel Embiid is at 50% come playoff time and LeBron is there with that crew, Sixers win the chip," Smith said.
Agreeing with this prediction comes down to what the definition of Embiid's 50% looks like in practice.
If Embiid at 50% is him dominating the Boston Celtics to lead the 76ers to a 3-1 comeback in the first round of last year's NBA playoffs, Smith's take is undeniably accurate.
A starting lineup of Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, Jaylen Brown, James, and Embiid would be unstoppable in that scenario. The blend of scoring, playmaking, perimeter shooting, and defense is unmatched by any team across the association, especially with the way Embiid looked against the Celtics.
However, there's an argument to be made that Embiid at half strength is what he looked like in Round 2 against the New York Knicks. In that scenario, Smith's point is tougher to come to terms with.
Embiid looked exhausted in that series, to put it plainly, as he scored more than 20 points just once and appeared in only three of the games. That version of Embiid is still uber-talented but does not possess the tools and availability needed to act as a 1A superstar.
Let's say the 76ers still managed to reach the NBA Finals with that version of Embiid; the most likely opponents would be either the San Antonio Spurs or the Oklahoma City Thunder. Both organizations are home to either an All-Star or superstar big man that would give a sluggish Embiid serious problems on the defensive end.
The reality is Embiid at 50% is not a bad player, but not the version the 76ers are hoping to get when it matters most.
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