76ers center Joel Embiid will likely miss the 2015-16 season. The 7-footer will have a second surgery after the latest setback in the healing of his right foot, according to several NBA sources. The team will decide whether to have it in North Carolina or at the New York Hospital of Special Surgery. “I would say there’s a great possibility that Embiid won’t play next year,” the source said. “Just think how long they sat him when they thought he was healthy.”
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The Sixers are planning as if Embiid won’t play this season, sources say. Another source said the franchise is concerned that this setback could be career-threatening. The Sixers are expected to release a statement about Embiid’s immediate future. It could come as early as next week.
The 76ers have yet to decide on Joel Embiid's playing status due still acquiring information in regards to the healing process of his right foot. “No change as of yet,” Sixers general manager Sam Hinkie said Thursday. “A number of meetings are happening about that, even one today. But we have meeting almost every day about that. We don’t not have anything ready to announce.”
The 76ers are close to making a decision that will dictate center Joel Embiid's immediate and long-term future, general manager Sam Hinkie said in a news conference Friday morning. Hinkie said that another surgery has not been ruled out as an option, and that he can't see Embiid playing in either of the Sixers' two summer league teams.
76ers CEO Scott O'Neil said on the Breakfast on Broad show Friday that three more doctors will evaluate the latest setback in the healing of Joel Embiid's right foot. "We're still waiting," O'Neil said. "We have another three doctors to come see him. The nice thing about jobs like these – you can literally get the best experts in the world. All you have to do is call and they love to see us." He added that the franchise could get an answer about the 7-foot center's future in "a couple of weeks."
O'Neil confirmed that Embiid has been shut down from working out.
Self also took the time to draw a distinction between a “setback,” and what Embiid has been told. “By no means, from what [Embiid] has told us, ‘slow down’ does not mean major setback. It means they’re gonna give it a little bit more time to heal before they put him in stressful situations.”
On Monday, Embiid’s college coach, Bill Self, addressed the media and discussed what he knows about the latest chapter in his former pupil’s story. Benton Smith of KUSports shared some of Self’s comments on Embiid. “Basically, he’s been working out and everything, and the doctor told him, based on doing the MRIs or X-rays or whatever they do, even though it feels better, it doesn’t look like it’s made the progress they would hope at this stage, so they were gonna slow him down,” Self told the media.
76ers center Joel Embiid may not be available to play at the start of the NBA season after the latest setback in the healing of his right foot, an NBA source said Sunday. There's also a legitimate chance that the 7-footer could miss the entire season.
Since the season ended, the 7-foot, 250-pounder has been at the team's practice facility working out almost daily. He hasn't played five-on-five, simply because teammates scattered after the season and not enough are in town. Even so, a source said that Embiid has been working out very hard and playing "meaningful" half-court games. The source said that Embiid was a "full go" and has looked "shockingly good" in workouts.
John Gonzalez: League source: Too early to know one way or other if Joel Embiid will require surgery. Sixers still gathering info. Hasn’t been ruled out. To be clear, it’s possible Joel Embiid won’t require surgery. But told nothing ruled out while team gathers info/consults specialists
Jeff Skversky: Joel Embiid's right foot will NOT require a second surgery an NBA Source close to the #Sixers center tells @6abc
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid, the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA draft who missed his rookie season with injury, suffered a setback in the healing process of his right foot, league sources told Yahoo Sports. After weeks of rigorous workouts, Embiid had not felt pain in the foot, but a recent CT scan revealed an issue in the healing process, sources said. Philadelphia is consulting with doctors on how to best proceed, and it's still premature to speculate on the possibility of another surgical procedure that could sideline Embiid, sources said.
