The Philadelphia 76ers remain hopeful that superstar center Joel Embiid will fully recover from knee surgery and return to consistent performance as a former NBA MVP and five-time All-NBA selection.
76ers haven’t given up on Joel Embiid yet
ESPN’s Brian Windhorst reported on his Hoop Collective podcast on Monday that the 76ers remain positive about Embiid’s injury recovery and rehab plans ahead of the 2025-26 season.
“The Sixers are playing upbeat,” he began at 11:44. “You talk to their executives, their coaches, and they’re optimistic. But I mean, what do I make of Joel Embiid’s optimism? He’s going to play when he’s playing. So, that’s a positive sign.”
Embiid has dealt with numerous injuries throughout his NBA career. He only played 39 games in the 2023-24 season, and the torn lateral meniscus lasted until last season, which limited him to 19 games.
“I feel good,” Embiid said during Sixers media day last month. “I think we’ve made a lot of progress in the last few months. We’ve put together a plan and tried to check all the boxes and just executed it day in and day out.
“Everything is going according to plan. There aren’t necessarily expectations. It’s all about making sure everything is right, doing the right things, and going from there. Obviously the goal is to have a consistent game and not be like last year.”
Embiid signed a multi-year contract extension last September
Last season, Embiid averaged 23.8 points, his lowest total since the 2019-20 season, and 8.2 rebounds, his lowest total since the 2016-17 season.
The knee injury was most evident in Embiid’s final two games last season, with the Kansas product scoring less than 15 points in back-to-back games for the first time since May 2021.
In April, he underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the 76ers have committed $800 million to Paul George, Tyrese Maxey and Embiid in the 2024 offseason. About 77% of last season’s payroll, or $146 million, was tied to its All-Star trio.
Last September, Embiid signed a three-year contract extension worth $192.9 million, guaranteeing the former first-round pick a total of $299.5 million in the 2028-29 season.
Before signing a new contract extension, Embiid also declined a player option worth $59 million for the 2026-27 season. According to ESPN’s Tim Bontemps, he will make $69 million in the final year of his new contract.
