Star players may not appear

Remember when NBA stars played almost every game? Well, that doesn't happen anymore.

There are many examples, but none more glaring these days than Joel Embiid. One of the league's biggest stars—nicknamed "The Process"—Embiid is a former MVP who hasn't played a single game this season, and no one seems to know when he will.

The Philadelphia 76ers just got slapped with a $100,000 fine—not because Embiid isn't playing, but because they weren't clear about why. In the NBA, it doesn’t really matter. It's all part of a bigger problem in today's league: load management.

Here's what gets me. Embiid signed a $193 million contract in September. That's superstar money for part-time work. And I don't begrudge him for taking the money—if someone offered me nearly $200 million, I'd take it, and so would you.

The team says they're being smart about his health. But we fans are paying full price—for streaming, for tickets, for jerseys, for food, for parking—just to see star players sit on the bench.

I get it. Players need rest. Bodies break down. But when did we start treating regular season games like they're optional events? The NFL doesn't have this problem. And, surprisingly, neither does baseball, for the most part.

So here's today's question: At what point do NBA tickets need a warning label—"Star players may not appear"?

What do you think? Should star players have to play more? Let me know in the comments, and support my work at jamesbrowntv.substack.com.

On that note, I'm James Brown, and as always, be well.