Joel Embiid Rumors | Hoops Rumors

And-Ones: Embiid, NBA Cup, Taxpayers, Sochan, Rising Stars, More

February 9th, 2024 at 9:43am CST by Luke Adams

Team USA head coach Steve Kerr, who texted Sixers center Joel Embiid this week to say hello and wish him well in his recovery from knee surgery, remains hopeful that the reigning MVP will be able to play in this summer’s Olympics, writes Dan Gelston of The Associated Press.

“Our fingers are crossed he’ll be healthy this summer and able to play,” Kerr said. “He’s an amazing player and we’re really excited to have him be part of the program.”

While the Sixers are hopeful that Embiid will be able to return before the end of the season and compete in the playoffs, it wouldn’t be surprising if the big man decided to forgo the Olympics and take the summer to rest and recuperate, given the nature of his injury. There’s still plenty of time to figure out his plan though, since the Paris games are still over five months away.

Here are a few more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

The NBA’s in-season tournament will have a new name going forward, according to the league, which announced on Thursday in a press release that the event will be known as the NBA Cup and will be sponsored by the airline Emirates. NBA referees will also begin wearing Emirates patches on their uniforms later this month, per the announcement.
Bobby Marks of ESPN (Twitter link) breaks down what the luxury tax figures for 2023/24 look like after the trade deadline, noting that nine of the 10 teams projected to be taxpayers a month ago either shed salary or stood pat. The Sixers and Pelicans ducked out of the tax, while the Suns were the only one of those 10 teams to increase their payroll. The 22 non-taxpayers currently project to receive $11.5MM apiece this offseason, Marks adds.
Spurs sophomore Jeremy Sochan has replaced injured Trail Blazers guard Shaedon Sharpe in next weekend’s Rising Stars game, the NBA announced in a press release. The league also shared (via Twitter) the results of the Rising Stars draft, with coaches Jalen Rose, Pau Gasol, and Tamika Catchings building seven-man rosters from a 21-player pool.
Nuggets center DeAndre Jordan would be open to the possibility of playing in Europe later in his career, he said during an interview with Toni Canyameras from Mundo Deportivo (hat tip to BasketNews). Jordan specifically named Barcelona as a team that would pique his interest, since he loves Spain.
John Hollinger of The Athletic shares some observations on the trade deadline, noting that many of the would-be buyers didn’t have the assets necessary to take a big swing this week.

Trae Young, Scottie Barnes Named 2024 All-Stars

February 6th, 2024 at 1:30pm CST by Luke Adams

Hawks guard Trae Young and Raptors forward Scottie Barnes have been named All-Stars, according to the NBA, which announced the two players as Eastern Conference injury replacements (press release).

Young and Barnes will take the spots previously held by Sixers center Joel Embiid (knee) and Knicks forward Julius Randle (shoulder). Both players are sidelined with injuries that are expected to keep them on the shelf well beyond the All-Star break.

Young, 25, has been one of the NBA’s top scorers and play-makers once again in 2023/24, averaging 27.3 points, 10.9 assists, and 1.5 steals in 36.6 minutes per game across 45 appearances. He’s also making 38.4% of his three-point attempts, which would be a career high.

Young’s Hawks are just 22-28 so far this season, which presumably hurt his case in the initial round of All-Star voting. That’s also the case for Barnes, who is having a terrific third season despite Toronto’s underwhelming 17-33 record.

Barnes is averaging career highs in points (20.2), rebounds (8.1), assists (5.8), and blocks (1.5) per game, as well as three-point percentage (36.5%). With Fred VanVleet, OG Anunoby, and Pascal Siakam no longer on the roster, the former Rookie of the Year is now the unquestioned centerpiece of the Raptors’ long-term plans.

Young was selected as an injury replacement despite the fact that he’s replacing a frontcourt player, signaling that the league felt he was the Eastern Conference’s most notable snub. It’s his third All-Star nod, while Barnes is a first-time All-Star.

Embiid was initially voted a starter, so East coach Doc Rivers will have to select one of the conference’s reserves to replace the reigning MVP in his starting lineup.

Joel Embiid To Be Reevaluated In Four Weeks Following Knee Procedure

February 6th, 2024 at 8:56am CST by Dana Gauruder

FEBRUARY 6: The Sixers announced today that Embiid underwent a procedure on the lateral meniscus in his left knee on Tuesday and will be reevaluated in approximately four weeks (Twitter link via Wojnarowski).

As we relayed on Monday, Shams Charania of The Athletic reported that an absence of one or two months is viewed as a best-case scenario for Embiid.

FEBRUARY 4: Sixers superstar and reigning Most Valuable Player Joel Embiid will undergo a corrective procedure this week to repair a left meniscus injury and is expected to miss an extended period of time, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski tweets.

A timetable is expected to be established after the surgical procedure. Embiid was diagnosed this weekend with a displaced flap — a tear — of his left meniscus.

At minimum, an extended absence by Embiid will likely impact the Sixers’ seeding for the playoffs. It could derail the Sixers’ season if Embiid cannot come back and play effectively by the postseason.

His injury could also play a major role in the front office’s approach to the trade deadline, which looms on Thursday afternoon.

Embiid will be ineligible for any postseason awards under the new 65-game rule to qualify for individual honors.

Embiid was considered the frontrunner for the MVP award again in 2023/24, with superlative statistics across the board: a league-high 35.3 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.1 SPG and 1.8 BPG on .533/.366/.883 shooting in 34 games (34.0 MPG).

The 76ers are 30-18, but they’re 26-8 when Embiid plays and just 4-10 without him. They have lost five of their last six games, with the only exception occurring on Thursday when Tyrese Maxey erupted for 51 points against Utah.

Paul Reed has been starting in Embiid’s absence with Mohamed Bamba backing him up. Coach Nick Nurse has also used a number of smaller lineups.

Embiid suffered the injury during a Tuesday matchup between the Warriors and Sixers, when Golden State forward Jonathan Kuminga fell on his leg. The incident took place in the fourth quarter and Embiid left the court under his own power.

The seven-time All-Star missed three games early last month due to knee soreness before sitting out matchups against the Nuggets and Trail Blazers on Saturday and Monday, respectively, due to the same issue.

Embiid, 29, is under contract through at least 2026, with a player option for 2026/27.

Sixers Notes: Embiid, Maxey, Harris, Drummond, Deadline Approach

February 5th, 2024 at 8:11pm CST by Dana Gauruder

As Joel Embiid prepares for surgery, Sixers coach Nick Nurse said the reigning Most Valuable Player is experiencing a range of emotions, Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer reports.

“I think he’s probably a little up and down to be honest with you,” Nurse said on Monday. “But I get some pretty positive vibes, which is why I say he’s up. Some encouraging things. And then there’s time when he’s probably about what you would be like.”

Embiid will soon undergo lateral meniscus surgery for a tear in his left knee. He’s expected to miss an extended amount of time but a firm timetable can’t be established until the surgical procedure is complete.

“There’s some tough moments to go though, thinking about what could be and what’s going to happen next, the road to recovery and all that kind of stuff,” Nurse said. “You know you got to take a positive spin on it. Anybody in life in an illness or sickness has got to say ‘I’m going to bounce back and I’m going be ready, right?’ I get some of that from him, too.”

We have more on the Sixers:

Embiid will miss at least a month, no matter how well the surgery goes and how limited the damage is to his knee, Shams Charania reported on the Run It Back FanDuel show (video link). “I’m told that the hope is that Embiid misses one to two months. I’m told that’s the best case, minimum scenario,” Charania said.
While Embiid is on the mend, Tyrese Maxey and Tobias Harris will have to take on more responsibilities, Paul Reed and Mohamed Bamba will need to hold the fort in the middle, and wings such as Nicolas Batum will have to pitch in, Gina Mizell of the Philadelphia Inquirer writes.
A reunion with Andre Drummond? Pompey believes the Sixers should target the Bulls’ backup center in trade talks. Drummond backed up Embiid during the 2021/22 season.
Along the same theme, Pompey discusses other potential trade targets, as well as detailing the expiring contracts and draft capital Philadelphia could use to make moves before Thursday’s trade deadline.

Stein’s Latest: Lowry, Hayward, Washington, Green, Bucks, Wright, Drummond

February 4th, 2024 at 6:34pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The Hornets are engaged with multiple teams, looking to move Kyle Lowry‘s $29.7MM expiring contract before Thursday’s trade deadline, Marc Stein reports in his latest Substack article.

Lowry was acquired from Miami last month as part of the Terry Rozier deal. The Magic are among the teams that have expressed exploratory trade interest in Lowry, Stein states.

If they’re unable to deal him, the Hornets could look to buy out Lowry. The Sixers and Lakers, as well as the Magic, would have interest in him if he winds up on the buyout market, Stein notes, adding that ncertainty regarding Joel Embiid‘s knee issue would not automatically rule out Philadelphia’s pursuit of Lowry if he’s bought out.

Here’s more tidbits from Stein:

The Hornets could also deal Gordon Hayward’s expiring $31.5MM contract this week but if he remains on the roster beyond the trade deadline, it’s unlikely a buyout will be pursued. Charlotte hasn’t ruled out re-signing the veteran forward this summer, and if he’s bought him out, Hayward would have to forfeit his Bird rights.
The Hornets have their sights set on Josh Green if the Mavericks seriously pursue forward P.J. Washington in trade discussions, Stein reports. However, there’s some buzz that the Clippers are also eyeing Washington despite their limited trade assets. The Mavericks are prioritizing power forwards over small forwards as they look to shore up size and defensive issues. They’ve also been linked to the Wizards’ Kyle Kuzma.
The Bucks have limited resources after all the moves they’ve made in recent years — including the Damian Lillard blockbuster — but they are still very active in the trade market. Milwaukee doesn’t have any first-rounders to deal, while Bobby Portis ($11.7MM this season) and Pat Connaughton ($9.4MM) are the only players making significant money besides the team’s stars who might attract interest in a potential move. However, Stein senses Milwaukee will do something before the deadline.
The Nuggets are searching for backcourt depth and the Wizards’ Delon Wright is one possibility, according to Stein.
The Bulls could look to trade Andre Drummond and his modest $3.36MM contract for draft capital, per Stein.

Joel Embiid Still Weighing Treatment Options For Knee

February 3rd, 2024 at 12:50pm CST by Rory Maher

Sixers star Joel Embiid has been diagnosed with a displaced flap — a tear — of his left meniscus and is still discussing treatment options with his doctors and the team, two sources familiar with the matter tell Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic.

Rest and rehab or surgery are the two options being considered, according to Charania and Vardon.

It sounds like a decision will be made by Monday, per The Athletic. If Embiid were to undergo surgery, he would be out for an extended period of time; there are different types of surgeries for a torn meniscus, with varying recovery timelines.

ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Thursday that Embiid would be held out over the weekend while the team sorted out a plan of treatment. At the time, it was called a lateral meniscus injury in his left knee, but further testing has reportedly revealed a tear.

Regardless of what decision is made, it sounds like Embiid’s odds of repeating as MVP in 2023/24 are slim to none. He will miss his 14th game today and can miss no more than 17 games to qualify for postseason awards like MVP.

Embiid was considered the frontrunner for the award again in 2023/24, with superlative statistics across the board: a league-high 35.3 PPG, 11.3 RPG, 5.7 APG, 1.1 SPG and 1.8 BPG on .533/.366/.883 shooting in 34 games (34.0 MPG). He has posted a .645 true shooting percentage this season.

More importantly, Philadelphia will obviously miss its best player if Embiid is out for a substantial amount of time. On the season, the 76ers are 30-17, but they’re 26-8 when Embiid plays and just 4-9 without him.

Embiid suffered the injury during a Tuesday matchup between the Warriors and Sixers, when Golden State forward Jonathan Kuminga fell on his leg. The incident took place in the fourth quarter and Embiid left the court under his own power.

The seven-time All-Star missed three games early last month due to knee soreness before sitting out matchups against the Nuggets and Trail Blazers on Saturday and Monday, respectively, due to the same issue.

Embiid, 29, is under contract through at least 2026, with a player option for 2026/27.

Sixers Star Joel Embiid Suffers Lateral Meniscus Injury

February 1st, 2024 at 7:53pm CST by Tristan Tucker

Sixers star center Joel Embiid suffered a lateral meniscus injury in his left knee and will be held out through the weekend while the team sorts through a treatment plan, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link). There’s still some uncertainty about how team doctors, specialists and Embiid will move forward to treat the injury, but they’ll use the next few days to figure out a plan, Wojnarowski tweets.

Embiid suffered the injury during a Tuesday matchup between the Warriors and Sixers, when Golden State forward Jonathan Kuminga fell on his leg. The injury took place in the fourth quarter and Embiid left the court under his own power.

The seven-time All-Star missed three games early last month due to knee soreness before sitting out matchups against the Nuggets and Trail Blazers on Saturday and Monday, respectively, due to the same issue.

Having won the Most Valuable Player award last season, Embiid has a strong case for MVP again this season. He’s averaging a career-high 35.3 points this season, leading the Sixers to a 29-17 record entering Thursday. In 34 games so far this season, Embiid also maintained averages of 11.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.8. blocks while shooting 53.3% from the field and 36.6% from deep.

It’s unknown exactly how much time Embiid will miss, but he was already ruled out of the Sixers’ Thursday night game against the Jazz, his 13th game missed this season. Players can miss no more than 17 games to be eligible for postseason awards, like MVP.

NBA Fines Sixers, Pelicans For Injury Reporting Violations

February 1st, 2024 at 12:39pm CST by Rory Maher

The Sixers and Pelicans have each been fined for injury reporting violations, the NBA announced (via Twitter).

Philadelphia was fined $75K for failing to include MVP center Joel Embiid on the injury report “in an accurate and timely manner” prior to Saturday’s game in Denver, while the Pelicans were fined $25K for a similar infraction involving Trey Murphy on Saturday vs. Milwaukee.

According to the NBA, the 76ers’ harsher punishment “takes into account Philadelphia’s prior history of fines for violating injury reporting rules. The league review confirmed there was no violation of player participation policy because Embiid’s absence was due to a confirmed injury.”

Embiid has missed two of the past three games with left knee soreness and will be sidelined for Thursday’s contest in Utah. He’s set to undergo additional testing today.

As ESPN’s Bobby Marks tweets, half the money from the team fines will go to the NBA and half will go to the NBPA.

Atlantic Notes: Durant, Porzingis, Celtics, Embiid

February 1st, 2024 at 10:59am CST by Arthur Hill

Returning to Brooklyn Wednesday for the first time since being traded last February, Suns forward Kevin Durant didn’t feel like speculating on how his time with the Nets might have turned out differently, writes Tim Bontemps of ESPN. Although he talked briefly about his raucous tenure with the team, Durant preferred to look forward rather than backward.

“I mean, that’s just a pointless exercise, in my opinion, to think about what could have been,” Durant said. “What happened. That’s what I thought about: what actually happened. The reality of it. We didn’t have enough time together. That’s just it. Guys wanted to go their separate ways. We tried our hardest to, you know, salvage everything and everything together. We had three or four different teams [from] when I signed here until when I left. But at the end of the day, I enjoyed coming to work, playing for, being a part of this community and playing, representing Brooklyn; regardless of what went on, what was said or how I felt, I still came to work.”

Durant was expected to make the Nets one of the NBA’s elite franchises when he and Kyrie Irving signed as free agents in 2019. He continued to play at an All-Star level after recovering from a torn Achilles, but injuries and off-court issues prevented the team from reaching its potential, even after James Harden was added in a 2021 trade. Bontemps notes that although Durant, Devin Booker and Bradley Beal are in their first season as teammates, they’ve already played more games together than Durant, Irving and Harden did.

“If you want to talk about me individually, you can just look at the work that I put in here,” Durant added. “I think I’ve grown as a player. I’m on my way to mastering the game. I think coming here helped me, pushed me far closer to that. So that’s what I try to take from my time here.”

There’s more from the Atlantic Division:

The offseason trade for Kristaps Porzingis has raised the Celtics to a new level, observes Ramona Shelburne of ESPN. Porzingis, who was training in Spain when the trade was announced, said he understood how much he meant to the Celtics when he learned they were willing to include Marcus Smart in the deal. “I didn’t know it was going to be [Smart] in the trade, but seeing what they were going to give up for me, I realized that ‘OK, they really wanted me,'” he said. “That means that they expect a lot from me, also. So I have to show up.”
The Celtics are expected to seek another bench piece before the trade deadline, but the improved performance of the team’s reserves may lessen the urgency for such a move, observes Chris Forsberg of NBC Sports Boston.
Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (subscription required) examines Joel Embiid‘s historic accomplishments this season and the “absurd” reaction to the Sixers‘ decision to hold him out of Saturday’s game at Denver.

Joel Embiid Out Thursday, Will Receive More Tests On Knee

January 31st, 2024 at 5:10pm CST by Luke Adams

5:10pm: Embiid will be out for Thursday’s game in Utah and will undergo more tests on his left knee in the next 24 hours, a Sixers team official tell ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski (Twitter link).

7:34am: Sixers big man Joel Embiid returned to action on Tuesday in Golden State following a two-game absence due to left knee soreness. However, as Kyle Neubeck of AllPHLY.com writes, the superstar center was laboring for much of the game and didn’t look like himself.

Things went from bad to worse with just over four minutes left in the fourth quarter, when Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga fell on Embiid’s left knee while scrambling for a loose ball (YouTube video link). As Kendra Andrews of ESPN details, Embiid immediately grabbed the knee and was in “visible pain.” He exited the game, didn’t return, and will undergo an MRI on Wednesday.

Speaking to reporters after the game, head coach Nick Nurse said Tuesday’s injury was “kind of unrelated to what’s been bothering” Embiid, even though it appeared to affect the same knee. According to Andrews, Nurse added that the 76ers’ medical staff had cleared the reigning MVP to play and Embiid said he was “feeling good.”

“He said he’s more rusty — he hadn’t been on the court in five days — but he said he felt good,” Nurse said. “He felt like he wasn’t quite playing like his normal self, but he felt like that was more rust and rhythm than it was anything else.”

Embiid submitted his worst performance of the season prior to the injury, scoring 14 points on 5-of-18 shooting with eight turnovers in just under 30 minutes. Philadelphia, which lost the game by 12 points, was outscored by 21 when he was on the court.

ESPN’s Ramona Shelburne recently reported that Embiid’s left knee issues are something that he and the team will have to manage for the rest of the year, and a team source confirmed to Sam Amick of The Athletic that the big man has been dealing with soreness in that knee all season.

According to Amick, there was no immediate concern after the game that Emibid’s latest knee injury is a significant one, but there was a “strong sense” he’ll need to miss at least a few more games. That’s notable not only because the Sixers have slipped to fifth in the Eastern Conference standings, but because the seven-time All-Star has already been sidelined for 12 games this season. Six more absences would cost him a shot to repeat as MVP.

Amick suggests there are people within the Sixers locker room convinced that Embiid only played on Tuesday because of the scrutiny he has faced due to recent absences — particularly Saturday’s in Denver. Whether or not the 65-game required minimum for end-of-season award winners played a part in his return isn’t known, but the sentiments expressed in Philadelphia’s locker room toward that rule after the game weren’t exactly positive.

“I didn’t sign up for that (65-game rule),” Paul Reed said. “I don’t remember signing no paperwork, you feel me? I guess the union okayed it. They probably didn’t have a choice though, to be honest. Yeah, it’s tough. It adds a lot of pressure to the players. We were just talking about that. A lot of pressure, especially dudes like (Embiid who are) trying to get MVP again.”