Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is used to the pressure of being the franchise cornerstone. From being selected with the third overall pick in the NBA Draft to being regarded as the singular hope of “the process” instituted by former general manager Sam Hinkie, the Sixers have asked Embiid to carry the franchise's future in a way players seldom experience.
As if that wasn't enough, Sixers team president Daryl Morey just added his expectations to the mix.
Speaking with ESPN's Stephan A. Smith, Morey made it clear that despite reworking the roster in the offseason, as well as adding a new head coach, he believed it was championship or bust for the Sixers.
Transcribed by Michael Kaskey-Blomain of CBS Sports:
“I think we're pretty championship or bust I have to say,” Morey said. “Doc Rivers obviously has won one. I haven't gotten there yet. Joel and Ben haven't gotten there yet. But, you know, I think you do this, you go into every season, hoping to win the title, not a lot of teams have a chance, but we absolutely have a chance and we're going to continue to work hard so we give ourselves the best chance possible.”
While it isn't unusual for a team's front office to believe they are championship contenders when having the type of talent the Sixers posses, it is a bit of a surprise to see the head of an organization spell out expectations in such stark terms.
Given that the Sixers, and Embiid in particular, have struggled to execute in the postseason, a mandate to win a championship might prove to be a heavy lift during the first year of a new regime.
Should the Sixers fail to live up to Morey's lofty standards, it seems all but inevitable that Joel Embiid will receive a hefty amount of blame.
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