Philadelphia 76ers fans would probably be best-served not expecting much from Joel Embiid this season, at least from an availability standpoint.
Above all else, the 76ers’ fate next season will primarily be dictated by the status of Embiid, who is still clearly their best player. The team limped to the finish line last season, and with the 2023 Most Valuable Player appearing in just 19 games, the squad was only able to muster 24 wins — a far cry from the usual number of dubs they rack up in each campaign in the Embiid era.
Last April, Embiid underwent another knee procedure, specifically a surgical debridement. Since then, the front office has given mixed signals about his actual status in his ramp up to getting back in playing shape, but so far, the most recent update is far from an encouraging one.
Embiid’s status come training camp remains to be seen, but this could play out being a norm for him from here on out. There is really no telling about how far or near he is from being in condition to be in the hardwood, and that is pretty telling of why this team is arguably the most enigmatic one heading into the 2025-26 season.
Daryl Morey dishes a bleak revelation to 76ers fans about Joel Embiid without even realizing it
In a recent exchange with PHLY Sports, 76ers president Daryl Morey gave word on the latest with Embiid, capping it off with a statement which fans will probably look at as a bleak sign of things to come.
Morey said that strengthening the front court behind Embiid was a strong emphasis for the front office, which is spot-on with what everyone has been pointing out as their should-be focal point this offseason.
However, the longtime executive also added that while internal reports on Embiid’s progress have been good, there is nothing tangible at this point in time for fans to be optimistic about his return to the hardwood sooner than later.
Yikes.
First off, his initial statement only reinforces the notion that the front office is already not banking on Embiid to be a constant presence for them in the upcoming campaign. He played just 19 games last season, and there is a strong likelihood that even doubling that would be mildly surprising.
Morey’s second statement, however, just plays into what fans fear the most. Again, despite early efforts on the part of the front office to ensure he will be in playing shape by shutting him down early and limiting his on-court participation basically since the Olympics ended, whether or not he can even suit up remains a question.
As a result, there is just little incentive for prognosticating the Philadelphia 76ers for next season under the belief that Joel Embiid can play, say, 60 games or above. Odds are he will play much less than that, and that very school of thought should be the expectation moving forward. If he surprises everyone, then so be it.