Marc J. Spears: Joel Embiid, who will have Kevin Durant type foot surgery Tuesday, made classy move by attending Sixers asst. @LloydPierceLP wedding Friday.
More on Joel Embiid Injury
Joel Embiid has not yet undergone a second surgery on his right foot, sources close to the situation told CSNPhilly.com, however, that procedure is still scheduled to take place and Embiid is still expected to miss the upcoming 2015-16 season. In early July, the Philadelphia Inquirer first reported that Embiid will require another surgery to address the navicular bone injury in his right foot. The team confirmed that report in a statement and said it anticipated “the procedure will take place in the next 7-10 days.” That was nearly a month ago, and Embiid has yet to have the surgery.
The holdup has led to speculation in the media. When asked about the delay, one source said it was partly because Embiid -- who is 21 and who, according to president/general manager Sam Hinkie, has been pain-free -- was coming to terms with the decision. The source indicated that Embiid and his confidants wanted more time to review the matter and select a doctor. A doctor has been chosen, though the source declined to provide that information.
The source said Embiid also reached out to Oklahoma City’s Kevin Durant. The Thunder star underwent a bone graft on his right foot in late March. That surgery was performed at the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, home to one of at least 12 doctors the Sixers and Embiid have so far consulted about Embiid’s hyper-complicated situation.
What is going on with Joel Embiid and his impending surgery? For some reason, the 76ers aren't telling. Numerous texts and phone calls to president and general manager Sam Hinkie and others in the organization by the Daily News have gotten no response as the time frame the team set for Embiid's second surgery on his injured right foot has passed by nearly a month.
When and how this most recent injury happened is still a mystery. Since the season ended and up until the June 13 statement, a source said Embiid was working out daily at the team's practice facility. When asked if he was playing five-on-five, the source said no, but "only because there weren't enough people to play five-on-five. He was playing very meaningful games of three-on-three and was doing fullcourt workouts. He is pretty much a full go." Words used to describe Embiid's play were "dominant" and "explosive."
Could Embiid be waiting for the surgery? Is the Sixers’ potential franchise center trying to avoid a second operation after having two screws inserted into his navicular bone on his foot 13½ months ago, which caused him to miss his rookie campaign? Did Embiid already have surgery? Is he recuperating in Los Angeles or someplace else? The answer to these and other questions is: your guess is as good as mine. If the Sixers know, they’re not saying. The fans want to — and deserve to — know.
“I knew about it before [it was announced]; we talked about it a few weeks ago,” Okafor said of Embiid’s injury. “It’s unfortunate, but I’m here for him. I know he’s definitely disappointed. I’m just going to be there for him and play for him as well. … It doesn’t [change my role]. My role is to dominate. I’m one of the centerpieces of this team, so my role is the same.”
Of course, there is the impending surgery on Joel Embiid's right foot, which should be any day. Sources have confirmed to the Daily News that the navicular bone in his right foot was rebroken.
Hinkie said the Sixers consulted with experts from five states, as well as Australia, the Netherlands and Qatar. The Sixers are concerned this could be career-threatening, a source told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. Embiid had two screws inserted into the navicular bone in his foot to repair a stress fracture in June 2014. He was projected to miss five to nine months, but didn't play in the 2014-15 season and never even scrimmaged 5-on-5.
John R. Finger: league source confirms the report from @Keith Pompey. Embiid to have surgery. Could miss another season.
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.”
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.
