The NBA announced the disciplinary action on Tuesday, citing the need for maintaining professionalism between players and the media.

Joe Dumars, the NBA's executive vice president and head of basketball operations, emphasized the importance of mutual respect in his statement. "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," Dumars noted.

The confrontation took place after the Sixers suffered a 124-107 defeat against the Memphis Grizzlies. Embiid reportedly shoved Marcus Hayes, a columnist for the Philadelphia Inquirer, who has been critical of Embiid for missing games. The dispute arose from an article by Hayes that originally contained sensitive references to Embiid's deceased brother, Arthur, and his 4-year-old son, also named Arthur. Those references have since been removed.

A team source confirmed that Hayes did not retaliate physically, and an NBA spokesperson indicated that the league had been investigating the incident since it occurred. Embiid expressed his frustration prior to the altercation, criticizing public perceptions about his commitment to the team. "I've done way too much for this city, putting myself at risk, for people to be saying that," Embiid stated.

Embiid has a history of injuries that have limited his playing time, including issues with his knees and a torn thumb ligament. This season, he has not yet appeared in a game due to what the Sixers describe as "left knee injury management." The 30-year-old center has never played more than 68 games in a regular season during his eight-year career, averaging 54 games played per season.

The situation has been compounded by the NBA's scrutiny of the Sixers for inconsistencies in reporting Embiid's health status, resulting in a $100,000 fine for the team. Reports earlier this week suggested Embiid might debut in the regular season during Wednesday's game against the LA Clippers, following extensive practice and workout sessions. However, the suspension delays his return, leaving the struggling Sixers, who currently hold a 1-5 record, without their former MVP for a while longer.

Complicating matters further, the Sixers have also been dealing with the absence of their major offseason acquisition, nine-time All-Star Paul George, who had missed the first five games due to a knee injury but returned to action against Phoenix on Monday. The challenges continue to mount for a team desperate to turn their season around.