Noah Levick: The Sixers say Joel Embiid is available an…

More on Joel Embiid Injury

Noah Levick: Ben Simmons (illness) is out tonight, Doc Rivers says tonight. Joel Embiid will play. Rivers says he's counting on Tobias Harris and Seth Curry being available.
Noah Levick: Joel Embiid (left knee recovery) and Seth Curry (left hip flexor recovery) have been added to the injury report as questionable. Tobias Harris (right knee soreness) and Ben Simmons (illness) remain questionable.
Derek Bodner: The Sixers say that Joel Embiid (left knee bone bruise) is progressing well and has resumed on-court basketball activities, while ramping up his conditioning. The next update will be provided as appropriate.
MVP candidate Joel Embiid is expected to be reevaluated at the end of the week for the bone bruise on his left knee. Embiid has been out since March 12. There is no established return date for the Philadelphia 76ers All-Star. The organization will be extremely cautious and wait patiently until he’s back to MVP form physically and mentally, league sources told Yahoo Sports. The objective is to make sure he’s 100 percent ready to go for the playoffs, sources said.
Justin Grasso: Doc Rivers says Joel Embiid is great and happy that his injury wasn’t as bad as everybody thought it was. “He was in a pretty good place,” Rivers said. #Sixers
Keith Pompey: Sources confirm that Joel Embiid’s MRI revealed a no structural damage to the Sixers center’s left knee and that he has a bone bruise. There is no timetable for his return. @Ramona Shelburne and @Adrian Wojnarowski first reported this news.
Adrian Wojnarowski: ESPN Sources with @Ramona Shelburne: Philadelphia Sixers star Joel Embiid's MRI showed no structural damage to his left knee, just a bone bruise. ACL and meniscus are fine. No timeline yet on a return.
He is still expected to miss time with the bone bruise, sources said, but there's significant relief within Sixers that the injury isn't something much worse. Embiid left Friday night's game when he hyperextended his left knee after landing with all his weight on his leg after a dunk in the third quarter.
Embiid had a similarly scary situation last month when he hyperextended his right knee in an awkward fall against the Portland Trail Blazers after blocking an Enes Kanter layup. In that game, Embiid returned a few minutes later and dominated, scoring 31 first-half points in a matchup Philadelphia eventually lost.
Adrian Wojnarowski: Philadelphia's Joel Embiid will undergo an MRI on his left knee, sources tell ESPN. He left tonight's game vs. Washington after a hard fall to floor.
Philadelphia 76ers coach Doc Rivers said he's "hoping for the best" as the team waits for an MRI on Joel Embiid's hyperextended left knee, which he suffered after landing with all his weight on his leg after a dunk in the third quarter of Friday night's 127-101 win over the Washington Wizards. "[He] just fell awkwardly," Rivers said, adding that Embiid will have the MRI after the team returns to Philadelphia later Friday night. "Thought there was a little contact when we went up to dunk the ball. Thought he fell with his balance off.
Kyle Neubeck: Tobias Harris on Embiid: “We’re just praying he’ll be okay and be healthy. We know how important Joel is to the team.” Mentions it’s especially tough since he knows how much time and effort Embiid has put into taking care of his body this year.
Rich Hoffman: Joel Embiid on his back: "It was pretty tight, but I just wanted to make sure we got the win." Said he wanted to give it a shot in the second half, but ends with, "I'll be fine."
Justin Grasso: Doc Rivers on Joel Embiid, who is out tonight: “I don’t know if he took a step backwards, [his back] is still sore from the fall.” #Sixers
Justin Grasso: Joel Embiid remains Questionable for the #Sixers tonight vs. #Pacers. Terrance Ferguson (health and safety protocols) and Mike Scott (knee) are out tonight.
Tom Moore: #Sixers coach Doc Rivers expects Joel Embiid to play Wednesday. Said he was 'in and out of practice' today.
Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid left after being hit in the right wrist in the first half of the Sixers' 125-121 loss to the Toronto Raptors on Wednesday and didn't return. The Sixers said Embiid got an X-ray at halftime that came back negative. Embiid, who is coming off an ankle injury he suffered in the first quarter of Sunday's loss to the Portland Trail Blazers, was already going to be held to limited minutes, so he was kept out the remainder of the game.
The Sixers' number of available All-Stars has dropped from two to zero this week. Joel Embiid left Sunday's game vs. the Portland Trail Blazers in the first quarter with a left ankle injury and the Sixers fell, 124-121. They're now 42-28 and next play the Phoenix Suns on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.
"I'm going to learn more physically," Brett Brown said after the game. "I don't know enough to comment on it. ... Joel was fully engaged as a teammate. As it relates to what his injury is or what it actually means, I can't comment. I don't know. But it was great just to see him being a part of the group."
Kyle Neubeck: Joel Embiid began experiencing discomfort in his right calf during Friday’s game vs. MEM and will not play in today’s scrimmage against OKC. Embiid is considered day to day, continues to receive treatment for right calf tightness, and will be re-evaluated tomorrow.
The Athletic: Joel Embiid is hopeful to return on Wednesday against Detroit, sources tell NBA Insider @Shams Charania. More 📝 in the latest Inside Pass: theathletic.com/1659421/?sourc…
Embiid practiced Friday for the first time since surgery, wearing padding and tape on his hand that he called “a cast.” The Sixers said he’d be re-evaluated Monday, and Embiid said he’d have to wear that “cast” when he comes back — whenever that might be. They host the Warriors on Tuesday and then go out for a rugged four-game trip, finishing with dates at Boston, Miami and Milwaukee. 24. “I think usually this stuff takes a month to get back from,” Embiid said. “It’s been two weeks. It can take longer, but I am not happy with where we are and just gotta keep praying and hoping it keeps getting better so I can get back out there with my guys.”
Joel Embiid, who practiced Friday for the first time since undergoing surgery on his finger, said he hopes to return to the court for the Philadelphia 76ers next week. "Just trying to get back into it and make the progress that's necessary," Embiid said after a lengthy post-practice workout Friday afternoon. "But I feel good. ... I think my finger feels good."
Embiid, who had surgery on Jan. 10 to repair the torn radial collateral ligament in his left ring finger, said he's "not too concerned" about the All-Star Game, when asked if he thinks he'll be back for the league's annual showcase on Feb. 16 in Chicago. "Right now we are sixth in the East," Embiid said. "Next week, I'm hoping to play."
Embiid said he would have to continue to keep wearing the protective device on his hand when he returns. "Still getting used to it," Embiid said of playing again post-surgery. "From time to time, you get slapped on the hand, so going through practice and going through those scenarios and seeing how it goes and also getting back into it. I had a little time off where I couldn't do anything with the surgery, so probably a little bit winded, and have to get my conditioning back."
Adrian Wojnarowski: Sixers All-Star Joel Embiid had successful surgery on left hand today, per source. Reevaluating in 1-2 weeks.
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April 1, 2023 | 3:30 am EDT Update

NBA will implement a second salary cap apron for highest-spending teams

The NBA is curbing the ability of the highest-spending teams, such as the Golden State Warriors and the LA Clippers, to continue running up salary and luxury tax spending while still maintaining mechanisms to add talent to the roster. The NBA is implementing a second salary cap apron — $17.5 million over the tax line — and those teams will no longer have access to the taxpayer mid-level in free agency. Those changes will be eased into the salary cap over a period of years. Under these changes, Golden State’s Donte DiVincenzo, Milwaukee’s Joe Ingles, Boston’s Danilo Gallinari and former Clippers guard John Wall wouldn’t have been able to sign with those teams last summer.
The NBA and NBPA have agreed to increase the upper limits on extensions from a 120% increase on a current deal to 140%, which could have a significant impact on the futures of stars like Celtics forward Jaylen Brown. Under the current rules, Brown would be allowed to sign a four-year extension worth $165 million. With the extension rules increased to 140%, however, Brown — who is set to earn $31.8 million in the 2023-24 season, the final year of his current contract — would be able to reach his four-year maximum of $189 million, according to ESPN’s Bobby Marks.
There is an increase in two-way contract slots, jumping from two to three per team. Two-way contracts were created in the 2017 collective bargaining agreement as a vehicle for teams to develop younger players. It has been seen as a success, as it’s become a route to players earning long-term homes in the league, and in several cases becoming major contributors.
The in-season tournament will arrive beginning in the 2023-24 season. The event will include pool-play games baked into the regular-season schedule starting in November — with eight teams advancing to a single-elimination tournament in December. The Final Four will be held at a neutral site, with Las Vegas prominent in the discussion, sources said. Each in-season tournament game would count toward regular-season standings; the two finalists would ultimately play 83 regular-season games. Winning players and coaches will earn additional prize money.