Shams goes on to clarify that the team did not, in fact, violate the player participation policy, and the fine is purely for the public statements made.

The NBA’s communications office sheds further light on the situation, and ‘left knee condition’ is our latest Embiid injury phrase du jour.

Things seem to be as such...Joel Embiid is hurt. He has a left knee condition. Classic Sixers. So it’s within league policy for him to be missing games, since, ya know, guys with injuries should miss games. However, the Sixers kept talking as though Embiid would be playing. We all kind of expected him to be available for the regular season opener (remember the ESPN insiders were talking as though he would play), and it was surprising when they announced him as out on Oct. 22 for that meeting with the Bucks and the following game. Not for nothing, but the Sixers sort of did the same thing in hinting at Wednesday’s Pistons game as a return date, before announcing him out again.

Ultimately, I could care less about Josh Harris losing $100,000 to whatever charitable cause ends up receiving it. I obviously care that Joel Embiid has a left knee condition, and I sure do wish the Sixers didn’t constantly act like a bush league organization that needed the league to investigate it. All the team had to say was the knee is messed up (that’s an official medical term, folks) and Joel can’t play. Then, all of this nonsense could have been avoided. Alas.

If you’re wondering, subsequent fines on this matter would be $250k and then $1 million. So when Nick Nurse doesn’t want to elaborate on the situation, this might be why.

Anyway, your local basketball team, everyone! Never boring.