ESPN has brought in some current player guest analysts for the playoffs this year, with Chris Paul joining them in studio during the conference finals, while Josh Hart and Paul George traded off duties on site during the NBA Finals.
Prior to Game 4 in Dallas, George was joined on set by a surprise guest, as Sixers star center Joel Embiid popped up for a segment just before tipoff. That was notable for a few reasons, with the biggest being the Sixers will have max cap space this summer and George is widely expected to be their top target. George would slot in nicely between Embiid and Tyrese Maxey — who will be an RFA this summer, which is why they have so much space with Tobias Harris and basically everyone else on the roster coming off the books and Maxey not on a max deal just yet.
Stephen A. Smith and Michael Wilbon both made little comments about the two being together on set, and Embiid couldn’t help himself from noting the Sixers need to “add some pieces” this summer, while making a side-eye at George, to get to the Finals next year.
Joel Embiid on the Boston Celtics (on ESPN’s ‘NBA Countdown’): “I can’t stand them. I can’t stand them. I hate Boston… it hurts me a lot.” #NBAFinals pic.twitter.com/OSQZlrmwqM
— Awful Announcing (@awfulannouncing) June 15, 2024
As a friendly reminder, there is no such thing as tampering rules in the NBA when it comes to player interactions, but I’m sure Clippers fans aren’t exactly thrilled about this — at least, the ones that want George back in Los Angeles. Embiid also had some thoughts on Boston and whether they’d be able to start a dynasty run, unsurprisingly disagreeing with Stephen A.’s assertion this will be the first of a run of titles for the Celtics.
Joel Embiid doesn’t think this is the start of a dynasty for Boston because of the new CBA and the East was hurt pic.twitter.com/pYBVhrLbsl
— Alex
(@Dubs408) June 15, 2024
It’s pretty funny that Embiid started by simply noting the new CBA will make it very difficult to keep this group together, especially if they pay Derrick White this summer after already signing Jrue Holiday and Kristaps Porzingis to extensions. He did go on to note the rest of the East, including himself with the Sixers, were banged up this year and the Celtics path to the Finals should be more difficult in the future. If Philadelphia can indeed land George and build up their roster around him, that would certainly help their case to reach Boston’s level, and we’ll see if Embiid’s mid-June recruitment efforts in Dallas pay off in about 16 days.