Fans were hoping they’d see Joel Embiid send a powerful message at the start of the NBA season.
Instead, they have been watching him sit on the sidelines yet again.
Embiid hasn’t suited up for the Philadelphia 76ers once in 2024-25 because he is still dealing with a knee injury that won’t completely go away.
Speaking on ESPN, Shams Charania gave an update on Embiid’s health and revealed the former MVP participated in a five-on-five scrimmage with his team.
That means he is moving in the right direction, but will still sit out of Saturday’s game against the Memphis Grizzlies.
“He wants to be 100% game ready with that left knee. … He is almost there.” 👀 @ShamsCharania on the swelling Joel Embiid faced with his left knee during training camp. pic.twitter.com/l4Gr7XX4BM
— NBA on ESPN (@ESPNNBA) November 1, 2024
This isn’t the way it was supposed to be for the 76ers this season but few people are truly surprised by Embiid’s absence.
Injuries have plagued him a lot over the last several seasons, especially last year when he missed a large number of games.
When he came back, he wasn’t quite the same and that’s probably why he’s taking so long to get on the court this year.
Charania noted that Embiid knows his body very well and isn’t going to push himself too hard until he is at 100% and truly ready to compete.
The worst thing Embiid could do is rush himself into games, get hurt again, and then lose the entire season.
As for the 76ers, they are struggling without him and Paul George, who is also on the mend with his own knee problems.
The team is 1-3 and is obviously lacking their most important stars.
They still have plenty of time to get better and become competitive but this early season absence of Embiid is very concerning and creating a lot of worries among the loyal fanbase.
NEXT:
Former NBA Star Weighs In On Joel Embiid’s Workload
