The Philadelphia 76ers didn't have the season they were hoping for when they collapsed in the playoffs against the Miami Heat. But it certainly wasn't Joel Embiid's fault that they didn't achieve the goals they were hoping to achieve last season.
Embiid's 2021-22 campaign was easily the best of his career, as he elevated his game to a new level to help the Sixers overcome some of the turmoil that surrounded them all season long. Embiid was at the heart of everything that went right for Philly last season, and it felt like everyone knew that once he suffered a thumb injury in the playoffs against the Toronto Raptors, their season was over.
Despite the 76ers being unhappy with how their season went, fantasy basketball owners were surely pleased with how Embiid performed for them last season. Embiid was once again one of the top fantasy performers in the NBA, and it seems likely he will achieve similar success this season. With that in mind, let's take a look at Embiid's fantasy outlook for the upcoming season and see what can be expected from the star center.
Joel Embiid's 2022-23 fantasy basketball outlook
As previously mentioned, Embiid's performance last season was wildly impressive. The 76ers needed him to practically be their offense, and for much of the season he was. The addition of James Harden helped (not as much as expected) but it was still Embiid leading the way for Philly.
Embiid finished the 2021-22 season as the NBA's scoring champion, averaging 30.6 points per game. His efficiency took a bit of a dip as a result of him needing to take more shots, although a 49.9 field goal percentage is nothing to scoff at. Embiid remained a strong three-point shooter, hitting 37.1 percent of his shots from behind the arc, solidifying the notion that he is one of the top three-level scorers in the league.
Not only was Embiid superb offensively, he also put together the best defensive campaign of his career too. Embiid averaged over a steal and a block per game for the second straight season, while also hauling in 11.7 rebounds per game as well. Embiid is one of the best all-around defenders in the game, and he certainly proved as much last season.
The one area in his game where Embiid lacks behind the competition at the center position is his passing. Centers aren't exactly expected to conduct their team's offense, but we have seen guys like Nikola Jokic and Giannis Antetokounmpo dominate fantasy basketball over the past two seasons due to their ability to run the offense despite not being a guard. That's the biggest hole in Embiid's game right now.
Embiid still averaged a career-high 4.2 assists per game last season, which isn't bad, but it doesn't come close to the 7.9 assists per game Jokic had last season. Embiid believes that he's been the league's MVP over the past two seasons, but considering Jokic's ability to do literally everything at a high level, there's not much Embiid can complain about.
From a fantasy perspective, Joel Embiid is a clear top 10 player right now. He's a deadly scorer and a dominant defender who will put up large amounts of points on a nightly basis. He may not be as well-rounded as other top 10 picks, but Embiid's strengths more than make up for that.
Embiid finished as the fourth-highest scoring player in fantasy basketball last season, but it's unknown if he will be able to finish in the same range this upcoming season. The 76ers offense still has some question marks, and if Harden falters again, Embiid could be in store for another huge season. If Harden shows up, Embiid's production could come back down to earth a bit this season.
Embiid seems likely to come off the board between the fifth and tenth overall picks in the draft. He needed a lot to go right for him last season to crack the top five group, and it doesn't feel likely to happen again. Embiid has dealt with injuries throughout his career, and now has a lot more help around him than he did to start last season.
Embiid's scoring will likely take a dip as the Sixers try to get Harden, Tyrese Maxey, and Tobias Harris more involved in the offense this season. Embiid may improve as a passer, though, and his efficiency will likely increase if he's not responsible for the bulk of the scoring like he was last season.
There's no reason to expect Embiid to be bad this season, but it may not be worth jumping the gun on him early in fantasy drafts this season. Embiid is an easy first round choice, but there are other players who will likely go ahead of him. Joel Embiid may go a bit too early in drafts, but if he's around in that five-to-ten pick range, there's not going to be a better player to use your first round pick on.
Follow Us
Subscribe