Before agreeing to a three-year, maximum-salary extension during the 2024 offseason, the Sixers and star center Joel Embiid sought a half-dozen medical opinions on the big man’s health, sources tell Ramona Shelburne of ESPN.
According to Shelburne, all of those experts consulted by the Sixers and Embiid expressed a belief that his left knee issue could be managed by “a combination of strategic rest and procedures to promote healing.” Embiid has been undergoing those procedures since last season, Shelburne adds.
However, despite optimism that Embiid would be ready to start the 2024/25 season, his surgically repaired knee remained a problem and postponed his fall debut. The former MVP has appeared in just four of 16 games so far this season and is currently sidelined again due to what the team refers to on its injury report as left knee injury management.
Shelburne’s ESPN feature includes several more interesting tidbits on the 76ers. Here are a few of them, plus one more Sixers-related note:
- Sixers team sources believe it will take at least 33 wins to be in a play-in position in the Eastern Conference this spring, Shelburne writes. While it certainly wouldn’t be ideal for Philadelphia to enter the postseason as the No. 10 seed – which would mean winning two play-in games just to earn a first-round matchup with the East’s No. 1 team – that projection gives the 3-13 club time to turn things around. The 76ers would have to go just 30-36 the rest of the way to reach 33 total wins.
- Former Sixers star and current Nets guard Ben Simmons reached out to Embiid “and others” last summer in the hopes of mending fences, sources tell ESPN. As Shelburne notes, Simmons’ relationships with Embiid and other members of the Sixers organization soured due to his trade request and holdout during his final year in Philadelphia.
- While players and coaches came out of last Monday’s team meeting feeling like it was a productive session, those positive vibes were negated by the fact that details about the meeting leaked to the media almost instantly, Shelburne writes, “further exacerbating the tension and lack of trust” in the locker room.
- Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer explores how the Sixers are doing their best to “stay together” during their early-season struggles and climb out of the 3-13 hole they’ve dug themselves. Tuesday’s practice included a 5-on-5 scrimmage and was more competitive than a typical session on a day before a game, according to Ricky Council.
- In case you missed it, Embiid, Paul George, and Kyle Lowry will all be unavailable for Wednesday’s game vs. Houston. Caleb Martin is considered questionable ahead of pre-game warmups.
The Process ….. look what you’ve done.
They’re just projections by the Sixers, but imagine going 33-49 and making the playoffs (technically the play-in, but still). Hawks did it at 36-46 last year. Wonder how low it will go?
I mean, only 5 teams DON”T make the play-in per conference.
It could go a lot lower than 33.
With Embiid’s injury woes and Podcast Paul injury woes, 76ers would be best serving to try and tank and get an Ace Bailey or Dylan Harper for the future. We already know McCain can play, and Maxey isn’t going anywhere. 76ers need to build all the depth/foundation they can while injury shadows lurk over Embiid/George as they get older. It would be stupid to try and win this year, instead of getting an impact wing player to help Maxey/McCain for the future.
It’s not even December and Philly has gone from championship contender to “Hey, lets tank!”
Yep….obviously, the multiple different doctors’ opinions were positive. So, as most new, just a heart muscle injury. Pick and choose when he comes to work.
Indeed, in just a span of weeks, it went from winning a championship to targeting a play-in spot.
The thing is, everybody and his/her mother saw this coming a mile away ……. Embiids knees are shot, Podcast P always gets injured – both don’t show up when they do reach the playoffs.
Sixers don’t deserve another lottery pick. Who’s fault is it they failed during the 2016 and 2017 draft? It’s why they have an old team now.
What a s**t show
Cut the Cameroonian Crybaby Embiid. Loser energy
Leaks aren’t ideal but I feel like if the players were focused on winning they wouldn’t be distracted by dumb stuff like that. Plenty of meeting leaks have come out of teams that went on to win championships.
Sixers players need to get their act together.
Embiid to blazers or pacers.