The Philadelphia 76ers have always been extremely cautious with the health of Joel Embiid. After the team drafted Embiid with the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, he would miss each of the next two seasons due to lingering knee issues.

Although Embiid has established himself as one of the best players in the NBA in a triumphant return to the NBA, he still battles fatigue and sore knees. The Cameroonian was vocal about the poor condition of his body during the Eastern Conference semifinals against the Toronto Raptors.

However, the Sixers could ramp up Embiid's activity this year. Derek Bodner of The Athletic reports that the Sixers have not ruled out the possibility that Embiid could play both ends of back-to-back games this year:

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Embiid played both ends of back-to-backs just six times during the course of the 2018-19 NBA season. However, he also saw a notable increase in usage and playing time, averaging nearly 34 minutes per game last season after playing just over 30 minutes per game in his sophomore campaign.

The 25-year-old had had his best season as a pro last year. Embiid averaged 27.5 points, 13.6 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.9 blocks while also shooting over 80 percent from the free-throw line.

Despite losing Jimmy Butler in the offseason, the Sixers are still regarded as one of the top contenders in the Eastern Conference. Having re-signed Tobias Harris and watched Ben Simmons work tirelessly on his jump shot during the summer, the expectations are still high in the City of Brotherly Love.

Embiid is at the literal center of it all. Although the Sixers will still likely engage in “load management” with their young star, exposing him to back-to-backs could be better for his long-term durability and ability to play through injury and fatigue in the playoffs.