Joel Embiid

Sixers Notes: Edgecombe, George, Embiid, Watford, Bona

October 20th, 2025 at 10:00am CST by Arthur Hill

The Sixers had high expectations for VJ Edgecombe when they made him the No. 3 pick in this year’s draft, and he was even better than they expected during the preseason, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Edgecombe’s athleticism, defensive prowess and scoring were obvious at Baylor, but he has displayed an ability to serve as the primary ball-handler and run the offense even though scouts had concerns about his dribbling.

Pompey notes that coach Nick Nurse used Edgecombe as his lead guard in Friday’s preseason finale and he responded with 26 points, six rebounds, three assists and five steals in 34 minutes. He also created scoring opportunities for Tyrese Maxey, who Pompey points out hasn’t been paired with an accomplished play-maker since James Harden left.

“I think we thought, ‘OK, maybe he could play on the ball some,’ and we were talking about, ‘Let’s do it at Summer League,’” Nurse said. “But where we’re at, I think he’s way ahead of where we thought he might be, being able to do that.”

Edgecombe is part of a talented group of young guards in Philadelphia, alongside Maxey, Quentin Grimes and Jared McCain, but that doesn’t mean he’ll face a battle for playing time. Pompey expects him to be in the starting lineup when the Sixers open the season Wednesday at Boston.

“I know I worked hard to be in this position,” Edgecombe said. “If I wasn’t ready for it, I wouldn’t have been here. I feel as though I just have a lot of confidence. My teammates instill confidence in me also. So, I won’t say it’s easy, but it’s basketball at the end of the day. I’m trying not to overthink it. I love this game so much. … It just flows naturally, man. I’m just out there having fun.”

There’s more from Philadelphia:

Paul George was a full participant at Sunday’s practice for the first time since undergoing offseason knee surgery, Pompey states in a separate story. George sat out the entire preseason, but there’s optimism that he’ll be ready to play soon. “He looked good,” Nurse said. “He’s moving good. He needs to have some more conditioning and things. But he looked good. He’s really pushing himself to get in shape. Defensively, he looked really good. He was really moving.”
Joel Embiid also practiced without restrictions after making his first preseason appearance on Friday, Pompey adds. Trendon Watford, who’s dealing with a right hamstring issue, was limited to drills and five-on-zero work.
Adem Bona‘s contract becomes fully guaranteed today at $1,955,377, notes Keith Smith of Spotrac (Twitter link). Bona, who may be the team’s primary backup center, has a non-guaranteed $2.3MM salary for next season, along with a $2.5MM team option for 2027/28.

Atlantic Notes: Embiid, Edgecombe, Ingram, Demin

October 19th, 2025 at 10:11am CST by Rory Maher

Star center Joel Embiid suited up for the Sixers for the first time in nearly eight months in Friday’s preseason finale against Minnesota, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. While the Timberwolves were resting most of their rotation regulars, Philadelphia — and Embiid — came away encouraged by how he looked during the 126-110 win.

“I don’t want to really think about the past,” Embiid said. “I’m just in a good space mentally, physically. … I’m just happy to touch the basketball and be able to play basketball and do what I love.

“When you don’t get [to do] that, it’s tough, but that’s what I’m most happy about. So today, tonight, that’s all I kept thinking about. I’m on the court playing basketball, doing some good things, helping us win, and yeah, that’s really what I was focused on.”

As Bontemps notes, Embiid has been plagued by left knee issues the past couple years, limiting him to 58 games over that span, including just 19 last season. In approximately 19 minutes on Friday, the 2023 MVP put up 14 points, eight assists, seven rebounds and three steals.

“I mean, I won’t say I feel like I was 18 years old again,” Embiid said with a smile when asked if he felt like the past few weeks have gone as well as could be expected in his ramp-up to the season. “That’s never going to happen. But I’m just taking it day by day. Like I said, just learning. Some days are going to be good, some days I’m going to be a little bit tight, so learn from it and adjust and keep doing the right things.”

Here are a few more notes from the Atlantic Division:

Embiid wasn’t the only member of the Sixers who played well in Friday’s tune-up, with Tyrese Maxey (27 points, seven assists, four rebounds, two steals in 30 minutes), VJ Edgecombe (26 points, six rebounds, three assists, five steals in 34 minutes) and Quentin Grimes (22 points, five assists, three steals in 26 minutes in his preseason debut) all turning in strong showings. Head coach Nick Nurse complimented No. 3 overall pick Edgecombe in particular, tweets Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports. “It’s almost every single day you see something from his athleticism that you say ‘wow.’ … He’s way ahead of where we thought he might be being able to do that [running the offense]. …He’s got a good feel for the game.”
In an exclusive interview with Marc J. Spears of Andscape, forward Brandon Ingram talks about joining the Raptors and leaving the Pelicans. While the former All-Star has “a lot of love for New Orleans,” he’s ready for a fresh start in Toronto. “This team can be whatever we want it to be,” Ingram said of the Raptors. “We have everything on the defensive end. We play hard. The next thing is execution over and over again on the offensive end. … The East is wide open this [upcoming season]. We have a chance to be better, but we’ve got to expedite it.”
Nets guard/forward Egor Demin, this year’s No. 8 overall pick, missed most of training camp and preseason with a plantar fascia tear in his foot, an injury he tells Brian Lewis of The New York Post he actually sustained prior to June’s draft — not during Summer League — that gradually got worse over time. While the Russian teenager admitted the injury will likely have to be monitored throughout his rookie season, he doesn’t think he’ll need surgery to address it down the line.
Demin made his Nets preseason debut on Thursday, scoring 14 points and grabbing five rebounds in 19 minutes off the bench in a five-point loss to Toronto. “He was excellent,” head coach Jordi Fernández said of Demin, per Lewis. “There’s going to be things he’s going to keep working on. We’ve got to keep building him up physically to be able to sustain more minutes. … But I’m very happy with his presence, how composed he was, how he talked to his teammates, all those things. And made it look easy. He shot the ball every time he was open or halfway open, got to the free-throw line and rebounded. He got five rebounds, made nice plays at the rim. It was good.”

Sixers’ Embiid, Clippers’ Beal Set For Preseason Debuts

October 17th, 2025 at 10:56am CST by Luke Adams

Sixers center Joel Embiid has been cleared to suit up on Friday for the team’s preseason finale against Minnesota, league sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).

Embiid has been ramping up this fall after undergoing surgery on his knee in the spring. Haynes had reported on Thursday that – while his status for Friday’s preseason game was up in the air – the star center was on track to be available for the start of the regular season next week. Now it appears he’ll see some action before opening night.

Clippers guard Bradley Beal is also expected to play his first game of the preseason on Friday when L.A. faces Golden State, reports Haynes (Twitter link).

Beal played through right knee inflammation in Phoenix in 2024/25 and underwent arthroscopic surgery on that knee after his season ended to address the issue. He was a limited participant in training camp this month and has yet to suit up for a preseason contest, but it sounds like he’s ready to play in his first game as a Clipper.

It’s unclear how many minutes Embiid or Beal will see tonight — the goal will presumably be to get them some reps and to make sure they get through their fall debuts without any setbacks. Assuming that happens, both players should be active when the regular season tips off next week.

Injury Notes: Embiid, George, Sabonis, Chomche, Ivey

October 16th, 2025 at 11:35pm CST by Rory Maher

Sixers star Joel Embiid may or may not be available for Friday’s preseason finale against Minnesota, but there’s a good chance he’ll suit up for Philadelphia’s regular season opener next week, Chris Haynes reported on NBA TV (Twitter video link).

According to Haynes, the 76ers plan to be “very cautious” with Embiid throughout the season. The veteran NBA insider added that he does not expect the 31-year-old center to play in back-to-backs in 2025/26.

While Sixers forward Paul George is expected to be sidelined for next Wednesday’s season opener vs. Boston, he has made “significant progress” in his recovery from offseason knee surgery and likely won’t miss many games beyond that, league sources tell Shams Charania of ESPN. George won’t return until he feels fully healthy, Charania added on NBA Today (Twitter video link).

Here are a few more injury notes from around the NBA:

Kings center Domantas Sabonis suffered a right hamstring injury in Wednesday’s preseason loss. Haynes hears (via Twitter) the three-time All-Star has a “mild” strain and has been ruled out of Friday’s preseason finale vs. the Lakers. Despite the relatively positive update, Matt George of ABC 10 thinks the Lithuanian big man will likely miss some time to start the season (Twitter link).
Second-year center Ulrich Chomche, who was on a two-way deal with Toronto prior to being waived by the Raptors on Thursday, has been referred to the NBA’s fitness-to-play panel, reports Blake Murphy of Sportsnet.ca (via Twitter). Chomche has been dealing with an unspecified health issue that prevented him from participating in training camp and preseason, tweets Michael Grange of Sportsnet.
Pistons guard Jaden Ivey underwent arthroscopic right knee surgery on Thursday after his 2024/25 campaign was cut short due to a broken left fibula. Head coach J.B. Bickerstaff said there was no single incident that led to the procedure, writes Vincent Goodwill of ESPN.com. “It was something that was developing over his work. Obviously, from coming back but in training camp also, he started to feel something,” Bickerstaff said before Detroit’s final preseason game against the Wizards. “We took precautions, and then the medical team did their assessments and those things, and then had to make the decision that ultimately led us to where we are today.” The Pistons plan to be cautious with Ivey’s recovery process, according to Bickerstaff.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, George, Watford, Bona, Layden

October 14th, 2025 at 2:18pm CST by Luke Adams

There’s a chance that Joel Embiid could play in the Sixers‘ preseason finale on Friday, head coach Nick Nurse told reporters today, per Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (Twitter links). Embiid, who is coming off knee surgery, was only a partial participant in Tuesday’s practice, but that was by design, not due to any sort of setback.

Nurse cautioned that Embiid’s status on Friday could still go either way depending on how the next few days ago, noting that the star center has a few hurdles to clear in order to get the green light for that contest vs. Minnesota.

In other Sixers injury news, Paul George (knee) and Trendon Watford (hamstring) went through portions of Tuesday’s practice after having previously been limited to individual work, per Bodner.

Here’s more on the 76ers:

Embiid was healthy enough to take part in Sunday’s Blue x White scrimmage at Chase Fieldhouse, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The team showcased an intriguing two-big lineup in that scrimmage, with Embiid playing alongside second-year big man Adem Bona. As Pompey notes in a separate story, Bona has emerged this month as the team’s likely backup center behind Embiid, having started at the five in all three preseason games so far. According to Pompey, Bona needs to work on his rebounding and avoid fouling, but lineups featuring him, Tyrese Maxey, and VJ Edgecombe look capable of giving opponents problems with their speed.
Within that second Inquirer story, Pompey says George appears likely to miss time at the start of the season, but there’s a chance Embiid will be ready to go on opening night.
The 76ers are making some tweaks to their offense ahead of the 2025/26 season in an effort to avoid being so dependent on Maxey and Embiid, according to Pompey. “A little more ball movement, a little less of maybe zero- or one-pass offense,” Nurse said. “And then worry about the spacing because I know there’s going to be enough of that probably in there.” Nurse went on to say that the team won’t be moving entirely away from actions involving Maxey and Embiid, but wants to include more “variety” in its attack. He added that Embiid is doing well with the adjustment. “There’s probably a little bit more movement and cutting and all that kind of stuff, but he has (adapted),” Nurse said.
The Sixers have hired former Timberwolves and Knicks general manager Scott Layden as a scout, reports Michael Scotto of HoopsHype (Twitter link). Layden, who also worked in high-level front office roles in San Antonio and Utah, had been a scout for the Kings for the past three seasons before he and the team parted ways in the spring.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, George, Watford, Starters, Grimes

October 8th, 2025 at 2:01pm CST by Luke Adams

Joel Embiid, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in the spring, continues to trend in the right direction with the regular season around the corner. The Sixers center has increased his participation in practice and done some 5-on-5 work, according to Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (Twitter link).

Embiid still has to check a number of boxes before he’s given the go-ahead to suit up for a game, Bodner writes, adding that the former MVP is being evaluated daily by the team.

Embiid was limited to just 19 appearances last season due to knee issues. The seven-time All-Star didn’t play at his usual level even when he was available, averaging 23.8 points and 8.2 rebounds per game in those 19 outings, well below his career averages entering 2024/25 (27.9 PPG, 11.2 RPG).

Here’s more on the 76ers:

Having undergone an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee more recently than Embiid, forward Paul George isn’t quite as far along as his teammate. According to Bodner (Twitter link), George is still just doing individual workouts, though those the intensity of those sessions has increased and he’s expected to begin taking part in team activities in the coming days.
Sixers forward Trendon Watford remains sidelined with a right hamstring issue and won’t play in Philadelphia’s next preseason game on Friday, tweets Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports. Watford, an offseason addition, is expected to do more on-court work within the next week, per Neubeck, who notes that imaging on the hamstring didn’t show any structural damage.
The idea of a three-guard starting lineup is “on the table” for the Sixers, head coach Nick Nurse said today (Twitter link via Neubeck). Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, and Quentin Grimes would all be part of the starting five in that scenario, tweets Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, with Jared McCain also factoring into the equation once he’s healthy.
Grimes said on Wednesday that he has no hard feelings about his contract negotiations played out this offseason. The restricted free agent was on the market for three months and ultimately accepted his qualifying offer rather than working out a multiyear deal with the Sixers, so he’ll become an unrestricted free agent in 2026. “Hopefully, I’ll be able to be back here longer,” Grimes said (Twitter link via Pompey). “I wanted to be back here on a longer-term deal, but I’m happy to be here right now and do everything I can to help this team win.”

Sixers Notes: Embiid, Edgecombe, Maxey, Backup Centers

October 1st, 2025 at 8:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

As always, the Sixers‘ prospects will hinge on the availability of star center Joel Embiid, and coach Nick Nurse sees reasons to be encouraged through the first few days of training camp. Before his team opens the preseason Thursday in Abu Dhabi, Nurse discussed Embiid’s progress and other topics with PHLY Sports (YouTube link, hat tip to ClutchPoints).

“I think the encouraging things are some of the stuff that he’s said that he looks good, right? He’s feeling pretty good,” Nurse said. “He’s got some boxes to tick to get, you know, keep it going, but it looks more encouraging. You know, I think he said he feels a lot better this year at this time of year than he did a year ago. So, that’s got to be a positive step in the right direction. We’re looking forward to getting him back with the group.”

Recurring issues with his surgically repaired left knee limited Embiid to 19 games last season before he was shut down in February. He talked recently about the need to be on the court much more frequently to avoid a repeat of last season’s disaster (Twitter video link).

“Last year, I kind of felt the pressure from the start that we had,” Embiid said. “I was not close to where I wanted to be but I felt like I had to something because I care so much about these guys. I think that’s what it comes down to. Seeing us succeed, the wins adding up.”

There’s more on the Sixers:

After loading up on veterans last season, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey made an effort to build a younger and more athletic roster over the summer, per Yaron Weitzman of The Ringer. That plan included holding onto the No. 3 pick in the draft, which was used to select VJ Edgecombe, instead of trading it for more immediate help. “We have really good young guys, and they have this open happiness and this spirit that’s just a pureness,” Kyle Lowry said. “They love basketball, they want to work, they get into the gym early, they listen to the coaches.”
Edgecombe changed his conditioning habits to prepare for his first NBA season and added 10 pounds of muscle during the summer, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Fans who watched Edgecombe at Baylor will notice a difference in his three-point shot. “I had a flat shot in college,” he said. “So now my arc was way better than a month ago, or maybe three weeks ago. My arc is way better, and it’s more consistent. It’s crazy now. It’s rare for me to shoot flat. I know when any shot is flat now.”
Tyrese Maxey is focused on becoming a team leader in his sixth NBA season, Pompey adds in a separate story. He was often the number one scoring option last season due to injuries to Embiid and Paul George, and he’s ready to embrace the responsibilities that go along with that role. “I remember the end of my fourth year, maybe, I remember Joel kind of pulling me to the side, telling me my voice is going to be needed,” Maxey said. “You know, people just see how hard I work, see how much I care about winning, how much I care about the franchise. And, you know, Joel is a more reserved guy. Of course he is talented on the court. That’s what he does. But he was just telling me that’s a way for me to step up and lead and be vocal.”
In another piece, Pompey profiles the battle for the backup center spot, with newcomers Johni Broome, Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow joining holdovers Andre Drummond and Adem Bona.

Sixers Notes: Grimes, Embiid, George, Watford, Edgecombe

September 27th, 2025 at 6:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers guard Quentin Grimes has the support of star center Joel Embiid in his ongoing contract standoff with the team, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Following Saturday’s practice, reporters asked Embiid for his stance on Grimes, who remains away from the team while trying to work out a new deal and isn’t expected to be part of an upcoming trip to Abu Dhabi.

“As players, this is a business. You gotta do what you gotta do as an individual to take care of yourself and your family,” Embiid said. “So just like it happened the last couple of times I’ve been here, it’s the same thing. I don’t blame anybody. I think we’re here with what we have, and I also don’t blame those guys who wanted to take care of themselves. That’s the right play. That’s what I would do if I was in that situation, too.”

Agent David Bauman claimed the Sixers made their first formal offer on Wednesday at $39MM over four years, which is far less than the restricted free agent is seeking. A source familiar with the negotiations told Pompey on Saturday that the reported amount wasn’t an actual offer and the two sides aren’t close to reaching a deal.

Pompey believes Grimes and the Sixers are headed toward a one-year agreement, whether that involves accepting an $8.7MM qualifying offer by Wednesday’s deadline or potentially a higher offer from the team if Grimes is willing to waive a no-trade clause.

There’s more from Philadelphia:

Sixers officials were encouraged by Embiid’s performance Saturday morning in his first workout of training camp, Pompey adds. The former MVP, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April and was limited to 19 games last season, was able to compete with few limitations. “Everything from the start was live. He was in there participating in that stuff,” coach Nick Nurse said. “He didn’t do everything, but he did do quite a bit. He was moving good and playing hard, and he had great spirit out there today.”
According to Pompey, the only players who weren’t able to take part in today’s practice were Paul George and Trendon Watford, who both did individual sessions on the court. George is still recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in July, while Watford is day to day with tightness in his right hamstring.
Veteran center Andre Drummond thinks the Sixers have something special in rookie guard VJ Edgecombe, per Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link). Drummond said Edgecombe peppered him with a lot of questions the first time they met. “The first day I saw VJ, I was instantly impressed,” Drummond said. “My favorite thing about him is his confidence.”

Sixers Notes: George, Embiid, Grimes, Edgecombe

September 26th, 2025 at 6:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Sixers are already starting training camp without prized sophomore Jared McCain, who recently sustained a torn thumb ligament, and it looks like they will also be without star wing Paul George, according to The Athletic’s Tony Jones (subscriber link). George told reporters at Philadelphia’s media day on Friday that he won’t be a full participant in camp.

Jones writes that George is still working his way back from the knee injury that required surgery in June, though he is apparently reaching the final stages of his recovery process. According to George, he has done almost everything except for full-contact gameplay, and the next few weeks will be critical for understanding his timeline.

“I’m feeling stronger and stronger,” George said. “I feel a lot better now than I did at this point last year.”

When it comes to his on-court outlook, George has said that he’s “very comfortable playing at the four spot this year,” according to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (via Twitter).

That willingness to play power forward could be important for a team light on that position in the depth chart. Outside of George, the team only has Trendon Watford and two-way player Jabari Walker to man the four. George notes that the ball-handling and play-making he brings could be very valuable at the power forward position.

We have more from the Sixers:

Joel Embiid is feeling “pretty good” as he works to return from his knee injury, but there is still no specific timeline for his return, as Jeff Borzello for ESPN and Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix write. “Obviously the goal is to play consistently and not be the position that we were last year.” Embiid said. “… I want to play every single game. I’ve been pretty unlucky when it comes to that compared to most NBA players. When you get to the point where I was last year where it was so unpredictable, it sucks. It is mentally draining.” When it comes to managing Embiid’s health, president Daryl Morey said, “The doctors’ advice, what Joel said on listening to his body, which is a big component on how doctors manage injuries — that’s going to be what carries the day this year.”
Despite the public reports of a significant gap in negotiations between the Sixers and restricted free agent Quentin Grimes, Morey said he’s feeling optimistic about the partnership, Borzello writes. “I think we will get to a resolution in the next few days, hopefully,” Morey said. “But we’re excited to bring him back. He’s a big part of what we’re trying to do, now and into the future, if we can get things resolved.”
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse indicated that No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe will get a chance to play a role for the team as a rookie, per Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (via Twitter). “I think success for him this year is minutes. How many minutes did he play? Because we need to let him play through the ups and downs,” Nurse said, adding that Edgecombe has been working hard on his shooting since being drafted. With McCain set to miss the beginning of the season, Edgecombe will have a chance to earn some playing time early on. Capitalizing on that opportunity could be an important part of his season’s trajectory.

Rockets Notes: Eason, Durant, Playing Time, Owens, Sengun

September 10th, 2025 at 9:55am CST by Dana Gauruder

Many people around the league believe the Rockets will work out a long-term extension with Tari Eason before finalizing a new deal with Kevin Durant, according to William Guillory of The Athletic.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently reported that Durant and the Rockets are expected to reach an extension agreement at some point.

Eason has an expiring contract — the Rockets exercised a $5.68MM club option on the final year of his rookie deal for 2025/26. The fourth-year forward averaged a career-high 12.0 points and 1.7 steals per game while making 57 appearances last season.

Here’s more on the Rockets:

In the same story, Guillory opines about a pleasant dilemma: Does Houston have too many good players? Guillory believes coach Ime Udoka will have a difficult time figuring out how to divvy up minutes among so many players capable of heavy minutes on a good team.
Mark Owens, a Houston-area boxing trainer, has become a vital asset to the Rockets — the team’s director of performance, Willie Cruz, describes Owens as “an extension of our strength coaches.” Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle (subscription required) profiles how Owens, who served a federal prison term, turned his life around and helped the Rockets become one of the more physical teams in the league.
Former Sixers forward Furkan Korkmaz is playing alongside Rockets center Alperen Sengun for Turkey in the EuroBasket tournament. Korkmaz called Sengun, not Joel Embiid, the best center he’s played with in his career. “He’s a special kid and every day he’s trying to give his maximum,” he said in a video posted by Eurohoops Turkey.

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