Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid didn't play a minute of NBA basketball in his rookie season, but according to a report, he paid thousands of dollars in fines to the team.
The third pick in last June's draft was fined on multiple occasions for being late and missing rehab sessions, according to Howard Eskin of 94WIP Radio in Philadelphia.
Stories circulated during the season about the organization's concerns with Embiid's conditioning and work ethic as he rehabbed from foot surgery. The closest the seven-footer came to game action was throwing down dunks during warmups, the 76ers opting to keep him sidelined all season - just as teammate Nerlens Noel was in 2013-14.
During team exit interviews Thursday, Sixers coach Brett Brown conceded that Embiid's work ethic needed to improve.
"There were times that I wasn't happy," Brown told reporters. "And you know it's been well-documented."
