NBA rumors: Joel Embiid expected to return this weekend

More on Joel Embiid Injury

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.
Keith Pompey: Joel Embiid declined to do a post-shootaround interview, preferring to speak before the game. But the #Sixers center said he feels good.
Keith Pompey: #Sixers center Joel Embiid is listed as questionable for tomorrow’s game against the #AtlantaHawks with a sprained right ankle/sutures for lip laceration.
Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid has been ruled out of Saturday's game at the Detroit Pistons, the team announced. Embiid complained of discomfort in his right ankle after the team's season-opening win against the Boston Celtics on Wednesday. He has since been diagnosed with a sprained ankle.
Serena Winters: Joel Embiid did not practice today (right ankle sprain). Listed as questionable for tomorrow. He also received sutures for the lip laceration from the season opener
Serena Winters: Brett Brown has no update on Joel Embiid. (Currently still probable with upper respiratory)
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March 28, 2023 | 6:29 am EDT Update

Ja Morant as a pitchman? 'There's going to be a wait-and-see approach with him'

The message of this new ad seemed just as obvious, given the controversy that swirled around Morant earlier this month: His recent off-court issues have cast doubt on his ability to be a corporate spokesperson. “There’s going to be a wait-and-see approach with him,” said Doug Shabelman, CEO of Burns Entertainment. “I don’t anticipate him signing with new companies in the next year, because people want to see is he going to rehabilitate himself, get himself to a better place, and then, how is it going to go? The hope for Ja is that nobody talks about this in 6-to-12 months.”
Most experts believe Morant has all the makings of a redemption story with a sweet ending, but the process will need to be calculated and strategic. “Right now, he is young enough and in a good enough position that he can rehabilitate his whole image based in how he comes out of these next few weeks,” Shabelman said. “Nothing has been decided, and the public is very forgiving when people are willing to do the work.”
March 28, 2023 | 3:27 am EDT Update

Nikola Jokic on Joel Embiid: 'He's gonna be remembered as one of the most dominant players'

The Sixers sat both Embiid and James Harden (sore left Achilles) as Jokic compiled 25 points, 17 rebounds and 12 assists. Afterward, Jokic dished out nothing but high praise for the Sixers superstar looking to win his own MVP crown. “I think he’s a great player,” Jokic said of Embiid. “I think he’s gonna be remembered as one of the most dominant players in the league. The guy’s a beast, and he’s so talented. “He can affect [the game] many ways on the floor. He can post up, he can face up, he can shoot 3s. He can defend really well. He can, in some situations, guard 1 through 5. So he’s a really, really good player.”
Sixers coach Doc Rivers, when asked about the discourse surrounding the MVP race, said people should appreciate Embiid and Jokic. “It’s like we can’t celebrate people,” Rivers said before the game. “The league is in a great place. It’s in an amazing place. You’ve got Joel Embiid and Joker, two centers, in a non-center league, dominating the league. You’ve got Giannis, and I always put him as a whatever, because we don’t know what [position] Giannis is, but he’s one of the best players in the league. Jayson Tatum is playing unbelievable. Kevin Durant, if he wasn’t hurt, you can just keep going.