Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid's sparkling reputation has taken a hit over the past couple of seasons, as fans who once followed the direction of his finger when he was firing off blame at his teammates are now questioning whether Embiid himself is maximizing his potential. After all, for all the talk of Ben Simmons being too passive, teams have long since realized that the best way to defend Embiid is to send double-teams at him and test his playmaking instincts.

That became increasingly apparent in the 2023 NBA Playoffs, starting with the Brooklyn Nets — despite losing to the Sixers in a sweep — making life tough for the reigning NBA MVP with a swarming defense. Embiid, who averaged 33.1 points per game on 54.8 percent shooting in the 2022-23 regular season, averaged a meager 20.0 points per game (ranked third on the team) on 46.2 percent shooting from the field. He also had 5.0 turnovers per game in the First Round after averaging 3.4 turnovers per game in the regular season, leading to him having a negative assist-to-turnover ratio against the Nets.

Suffice it to say, Embiid needs to improve in this area, and that's before one even gets into his comparisons to two-time MVP Nikola Jokic. A far superior playmaker, the ongoing dispute between who is the best center in the league between he and Embiid seems to be permanently suspended until the latter proves himself capable of being a better playmaker.

To that point, Embiid's trainer — the famed Drew Hanlen — recently revealed the summer focus for Embiid (and teammate Tyrese Maxey) as he prepares for this upcoming season. Playmaking is at the top of that list, according to David Early of Liberty Ballers.

Embiid will also focus on taking more advantage of his size around the rim, which could make him an even more formidable scorer. Averaging 11.5 free-throw attempts per game over the past three seasons, Embiid is a foul-drawing machine and has made 74.4 percent of his shots within three feet of the rim over the course of his career.