In a dramatic turn of events, the NBA has suspended Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid for three games without pay following a physical altercation with a local journalist. The incident occurred in the team’s locker room after their loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday.
According to sources familiar with the situation, Embiid confronted Marcus Hayes, a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, over a recent article that mentioned Embiid’s deceased brother and his young son, also named Arthur. During the heated exchange, Embiid allegedly told Hayes to stop writing about his family and warned that any further mentions would result in an even worse reaction, stating he was willing to face “whatever punishment” came his way.
The confrontation then escalated, with Embiid shoving Hayes on the shoulder before the team’s public relations staff intervened to separate the two. In a statement announcing the suspension, Joe Dumars, the NBA’s Executive Vice President of Basketball Operations, emphasized the importance of mutual respect between players and the media.
“Mutual respect is paramount to the relationship between players and media in the NBA,” Dumars said. “While we understand Joel was offended by the personal nature of the original version of the reporter’s column, interactions must remain professional on both sides and can never turn physical.”
Once the 7-time All-Star receives medical clearance to return to the court, the suspension, which will cost Embiid over $1 million in lost wages, will begin. A left knee injury has sidelined Embiid to start the season.
This incident is the latest chapter in an ongoing tension between Embiid and the local media in Philadelphia. Just last week, the NBA fined the 76ers $100,000 for “inconsistent” comments about Embiid’s health status, as the team had been cagey about providing updates on the star center’s recovery timeline.
In a separate incident on Friday, Embiid had already expressed his frustration with Hayes, calling out the columnist by name and accusing him of spreading false narratives about Embiid’s commitment to the team.
“I’ve done way too much for this city, putting myself at risk for people to say that I don’t want to play,” Embiid said. “I do think it’s bulls—. That guy, MMarcus, or whatever his name is, isn’t here. I’ve sacrificed a great deal for this city to receive such treatment.”
The root of the latest confrontation appears to stem from Hayes’ recent column, which mentioned Embiid’s late brother, Arthur, who tragically passed away in a car accident in Cameroon shortly after Embiid was drafted by the 76ers in 2014. The column also referenced Embiid’s young son, who shares the same name as his deceased uncle.
Hayes later acknowledged that he had “rewritten the lede” of the column in response to “constructive criticism,” but the damage was already done in Embiid’s eyes.
“The next time you bring up my dead brother and my son again, you are going to see what I’m going to do to you, and I’m going to have to… live with the consequences,” Embiid told Hayes during the confrontation, according to a person with direct knowledge of the incident. Despite Hayes’ attempt to apologize, Embiid was not receptive, and the situation quickly escalated into a physical altercation.
The suspension comes as a significant blow to the 76ers, who are already dealing with Embiid’s injury absence to start the season. The team suffered a narrow 118-116 loss to the Phoenix Suns on Monday in their first game of a West Coast road trip.
With Embiid sidelined for the next three games, the 76ers will have to find a way to remain competitive without their star center. The suspension will cost Embiid $1.06 million of his $51.4 million salary for the 2024-25 season. As the NBA and the 76ers navigate this delicate situation, all eyes will be on Embiid’s return and the ongoing relationship between players and the media in the league.