Joel Embiid says he won't take part in closed-door team meetings anymore after last season's leak

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid refuses to participate in future closed-door, players-only team meetings. This decision stems from an incident last season where details of a private meeting were leaked to the public. During that meeting, Tyrese Maxey confronted Embiid about his tardiness. Embiid reacted furiously to the leak at the time, calling the person responsible a "real piece of s***."

Embiid stated that this breach of trust means he will no longer take part in such meetings, emphasizing, "Once you cross that — you can't expect me to be part of a team meeting again. That's just not going to happen." He claims to know who leaked the details of the meeting, which occurred after the team started the season poorly with a 2-11 record, but he declined to name the individual, implying they might still be on the team.

The 76ers never recovered from their disastrous start, finishing the season 24-58, one of the league's most disappointing performances. Embiid's contribution was limited to just 19 games due to a knee injury. While bigger things are expected next season, especially with Embiid expected healthy for training camp, his stance on avoiding team meetings raises concerns for a team that appeared disorganized last year.

Further complicating matters, the team is already dealing with a significant injury to newly acquired star Paul George, who underwent knee surgery after an offseason workout and will be re-evaluated before camp. While the 76ers have the potential to be championship contenders if they overcome their issues, Embiid's comments suggest that on-court success alone won't resolve the underlying problems, particularly if the individual who leaked the meeting details remains on the roster.