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Sixers Star Might Need Another Surgery, Season In Danger

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The Philadelphia 76ers targeted the summer of 2024 as a key moment in franchise history. They believed they could add another All-Star next to their MVP-level player and compete for a championship. But it seems like Joel Embiid’s body has broken down by now. With the Sixers out of a play-in position, how concerning is the latest Joel Embiid knee injury update?

Sixers Star Might Need Another Surgery, Season In Danger

During the 135-127 loss to the Milwaukee Bucks, ESPN’s reporter Lisa Salters shed some light on Joel Embiid knee injury update. She said,

“I asked Joel how that left knee feels. He gave a really long pause, and just said, it is what it is. He said it’s been frustrating and the most difficult thing he ever had to go through. He wishes he could play in every game, but his body is not allowing him to do that. When the knee swells down, there is nothing he can really do.”

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The organization certainly hopes that there will come a time when the knee is not an issue anymore. But as Salters reported, Embiid believes it will take another surgery, and a long recovery period to get there.

Joel Embiid Knee Injury Update – Playing Through Injuries

Sunday was Embiid’s 16th game of the season. He has already missed 36 games this season, and the knee has been bothering him for more than a year. The former MVP suffered a meniscus tear in the middle of last season. He rushed back from recovery to help the 76ers in their playoff push, but his knee never looked right.

Embiid aggravated the injury dunking off a pass to himself during the first-round loss to the New York Knicks in the 2024 NBA Playoffs. While he appeared for Team USA during the Paris 2024 Olympics, Embiid played limited minutes. He then sat out the beginning of the season for Philadelphia.

When he is healthy, Embiid has delivered incredible results. For example, he averaged 33.1 points on 54.8% shooting during his MVP season. Last season in 39 games, he averaged 34.7 points per game, more than a point per minute. Only Wilt Chamberlain has done it before.

Is the Season in Danger With A Hobbled Embiid?

This year, Embiid’s knee troubles have impacted his playing time. The 76ers as a whole have been dealing with injuries to key players. Paul George has missed 19 games, Tyrese Maxey has missed seven games, and Jared McCain, their early-season bright star, is out for the season. There was a crazy stat shared on social media recently about PG. The big summer signing has uploaded more podcast clips to YouTube (228), than made field goals in a Sixers uniform (191) since the summer (as of February 7). Embiid also got a big contract extension this summer.

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With Embiid having troubles with his knee, the Sixers soon might have to consider this a lost season. Without Embiid, the 76ers cannot compete for a championship, no matter how good Maxey plays. Right now, they are out of a play-in position. Teams like the Chicago Bulls and Atlanta Hawks made moves during the deadline to tank. That, by default, might help the Sixers get in the play-in. But what happens next?

Play-In Loss or Draft Pick?

If Embiid’s knee injury update continues to stress Philly fans and management, they might have to pull the trigger soon. They owe a top-six protected first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Right now, the Sixers are positioned to pick seventh in the 2025 draft.

Is a lottery pick in the 2025 crowded draft better than a first-round loss or a play-in loss? That is the question for the Sixers’ management. It would surely be a shame to lose early and have a quality player on a cheap contract go to the Thunder.

The post Sixers Star Might Need Another Surgery, Season In Danger appeared first on Last Word On Basketball.