Star center Joel Embiid missed the Philadelphia 76ers' nationally televised regular-season opening game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday because of what the team described as “treatment for a left knee injury.” This seems to have gotten on the nerves of the NBA.

On Wednesday, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that the league office will “likely launch an investigation later this week” into the Sixers' handling of Embiid. Depending on the results of the investigation, the Sixers could be fined $100,000.

Ahead of the 2023-24 season, the NBA adopted a new player participation policy aimed at reducing the number of games star players miss. The policy defines a star player as anyone selected to an All-NBA team or All-Star in the last three seasons, meaning Embiid would fit in.

The policy stipulates that “unless a team demonstrates a legitimate reason for a star player not to take part in a game,” it must ensure that stars are available for nationally televised games and “manage its squad to ensure that stars are available for national television games.” “Ensuring that there are not more than one star player is not available for the same game.” Since his star colleague Paul George missed Wednesday's game because of the bone bruise in his left knee that he suffered in pre-season, the absence was forced from Embiid garnering some attention at the league office.

The player involvement policy requires the league office to investigate a team if multiple stars miss the same game or if a star misses a nationally televised game. However, there are exceptions to the policy, including if a star player misses multiple games in a row “due to a serious long-term injury or other injury, illness or medical condition.”

What's wrong with Embiid?

Embiid suffered a meniscus injury in his left knee last January that required surgery and sidelined him for about two months. However, he returned late in the regular season and played in both the playoffs and for Team USA at the London Olympics this summer.

It remains unclear why Embiid was unable to play in the season opener, but the Sixers have already ruled him out for Friday's game against the Toronto Raptors and also for Sunday's game against the Indiana Pacers. This multi-game absence could be their saving grace if the NBA decides that his medical history disqualifies him from the participation policy.

As part of the investigation, the league office and a former NBA team doctor may review Embiid's medical information, “including any contemporary team physicians or training notes, imaging and related reports, and second opinion reports.” If they determine he has an injury, illness or other medical condition “that could materially affect his ability to participate in a game,” they must determine whether “a typical player under the same circumstances” could have sat out one different game or fewer minutes played, “in a manner that would have better promoted compliance with the policy.”

Should the NBA actually rule against the Sixers, they will face a $100,000 fine as this will be their first policy violation this season. The second violation would result in a fine of $250,000, and subsequent violations would cost $1 million more than the previous fine (e.g. $1.25 million for the third, $2.25 million -dollars for the fourth, etc.).

How the Sixers were able to prevail

However, ahead of the league's investigation, a few things could work in the Sixers' favor. Both Embiid and the team have been transparent about their plans to rest him throughout the season in consideration of his long-term health.

“We're going to be really smart here,” team president Daryl Morey told reporters during the Sixers media day in late September. “We are focusing on April, May and June. That doesn’t mean the team isn’t important right now, but we’ll be very smart about how we lead him through the season.”

Embiid added that after the Sixers lost in the first round of the playoffs last year, he texted Morey and said, “We have to do whatever it takes to make sure I'm healthy in the postseason.” He told reporters that he lost 25 to 30 pounds in the offseason – and hopes to lose even more – and he plans to continue wearing a brace on his surgically repaired left knee, Charania said. Both Embiid and Morey also told ESPN's Tim Bontemps that he likely won't play in back-to-back games this season.

Charania described Embiid's gradual rise as “part of the new normal” for him this season. “The plan should include regular time off during the regular season and routine examinations by doctors and the 76ers medical staff,” he added.

However, it is still unclear why Embiid was unavailable for opening night. Head coach Nick Nurse insisted Tuesday that he hasn't suffered a setback and that the Sixers are “just sticking with our plan to make sure we get him to a really, really good spot and then let him play live.”

“He’s in training, he looks good, he’s making progress,” Nurse added. “He’s not quite finished yet. It’ll be ready pretty soon.”

Meanwhile, his absence from the season opener could result in a hefty fine depending on the results of the NBA investigation.

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