76ers News: Joel Embiid finally gets a target date for his return

After the Philadelphia 76ers got served with a hazy update on Joel Embiid’s return to the hardwood this season, it seems like they can finally breathe easy with the reigning Most Valuable Player taking a significant step toward playing again this season.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey, Embiid has rejoined the team’s practice for the first time since incurring his knee injury in late January — a very encouraging development for a Sixers team struggling to stay afloat for a guaranteed playoff spot sans their best player.

Joel Embiid’s return to the 76ers now gets a tangible update

The 76ers brass has reportedly set their sights on Embiid returning in the first or second week of April, which wouldenable him to get some run in with the team prior to the conclusion of the regular season.

Head coach Nick Nurse was a bit more reserved on Embiid’s return, saying that there remains no timeline, but barring a setback, it’s likely that the league’s leading scorer (before he got injured) will be able to return around that juncture.

As of writing, the 76ers are sixth in the Eastern Conference, having a grip on the final guaranteed playoff spot. However, this remains a tight race that will most probably extend near the end of their campaign, as they are just a half-game ahead of the seventh-seeded Indiana Pacers. Meanwhile, they are just 4.5 games ahead of ninth-ranked Chicago.

Nevertheless, having Embiid back would be a potentially game-breaking development not only for the 76ers, but for the league. Philadelphia was in third place and not far from the second spot in the East before he went down with injury, and the team showed ample development on both ends of the floor when their core was healty.