It's only preseason but the 76ers already have a Joel Embiid problem

An unfortunate trend.
Philadelphia Sixers, Joel Embiid
Philadelphia Sixers, Joel Embiid | Mitchell Leff/GettyImages

If we're being honest, the Philadelphia Sixers have had a Joel Embiid problem for a while. When he's healthy, he's unstoppable. He's one of the best players in the league. The problem is that he has struggled to stay healthy, particularly in the past two seasons, as he has undergone knee surgery twice.

The start of the regular season is two weeks away, and nobody knows when Embiid will play. He's practiced and done some 5-on-5 work, which is good news, but until he plays in a game and is truly healthy, fans will continue to fear the worst.

Embiid has continued to progress after having an arthroscopic procedure in his knee in April, but the Sixers understandably don't want to rush him back so he can play on Oct. 22 in Boston. They're operating on his timeline. The absolute last thing Philadelphia wants is for Embiid to return too soon, only to re-injure his knee.

The Embiid injury cycle is one that fans desperately want to see come to an end, not just for the Sixers' sake, but for his. He can't catch a break.

Nobody knows when Embiid will play again for the Sixers

Philadelphia believes Embiid will be able to play this season, but it's hard to know what the star center will look like when he takes the floor. Will he resemble the player he was during the 2022-23 season when he won his MVP award? Will his knee allow him to be that player?

One thing is for sure, and it's that when Embiid is ready to play again, load management will be his best friend. He's already said that he won't play in back-to-back games again, so even when he's back, the Sixers will still need to find a way to manage games without him.

This isn't the situation that Philadelphia wanted to be in entering the new season, and it extends beyond Embiid. Paul George and Jared McCain will miss the season-opener. But for the Sixers, the player that they need the most is Embiid. He is key to them not only returning to the playoffs after a disastrous 2024-25 season, but actually making it past the first round.

Embiid is at the center of the direction Philadelphia is trying (and has been trying) to go in. Let's hope that this season will bring better luck for Embiid and the entire organization. If not, it could get ugly quickly.