Joel Embiid suspension: Number of games suspended, reason & more key details

Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers has been suspended for three games without pay, according to a report by ESPN's Shams Charania on Tuesday. This happened after he got into a fight with a columnist, which resulted in Embiid pushing him. The Sixers player didn't like what Marcus Hayes, the columnist, wrote about him since it mentioned his son and late brother, Arthur.

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The incident between Embiid and Hayes did not escalate. However, it prompted another investigation centered around the Sixers center. It was later reported that the team's general manager Elton Brand and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey had a chance to talk to the columnist.

The two reportedly apologized to Hayes, according to a report from Gina Mizell.

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"[They] expressed regret that it happened, and asked me for my version of events... They agreed that Embiid’s actions were unacceptable," Mizell reported.

Embiid has yet to play this season and won't be able to play his first three games once he becomes available.

Joe Dumars shared details on Joel Embiid's suspension

The NBA's head of basketball operations, Joe Dumars, released a statement following the league's investigation following Joel Embiid's incident. According to the investigation, there was speculation that the league could issue disciplinary action to the Sixers star.

Upon issuing the suspension, Dumars justified the reason behind the league's decision to give Embiid the punishment for his actions.

"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."

The NBA stated that Embiid's suspension will begin this season, once he's eligible to play. The altercation happened on Saturday, following the Sixers' 124-107 loss against the Memphis Grizzlies. The 2023 MVP reportedly approached Hayes to confront the columnist about the piece he did when he mentioned Embiid's family. According to ESPN's Tim Bontemps, the two exchanged words, leading to a shove from the Philly star.

ESPN's Bobby Marks broke down how much Embiid will lose for his three-game suspension. Marks reported that the All-Star will lose $1,063,778.

Bontemps speculates that the Sixers could upgrade their star's status on Wednesday against the LA Clippers. However, the team has not filed their injury report for their upcoming game against the Clippers.

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