Joel Embiid, 76ers Considering Options Regarding Embiid’s Knee Injury
Dec 23, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) argues with referee Jenna Schroeder (20) and is ejected on a second technical foul during the second quarter against the San Antonio Spurs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
Raise your hand if you’ve heard this before, Joel Embiid‘s knees are causing him problems.
According to ESPN reporter Shams Charania, Embiid and the Philadelphia 76ers are “consulting doctors and considering alternative options” regarding his injured left knee. The 76ers center continues to experience swelling in his knee and requires multiple injections to play. Embiid is scheduled to undergo testing this week to determine the 76ers’ next move regarding the big man,
This news comes just weeks after Embiid outright stated that he might eventually need surgery on his knee. Last season, Embiid had procedures done in his knee after tearing his meniscus but was able to return in time for the 76ers’ postseason run. While he was able to return late last season, the 76ers were unable to make it out of the first round losing to the New York Knicks in six games.
Since that meniscus injury, Embiid just hasn’t played like himself. After winning gold for Team USA in the 2024 Paris Olympic Games, Embiid missed the first two weeks of the 2024-25 season due to the same knee injury from the previous season.
He eventually made his debut, appearing in four games, before missing another two weeks of action. Embiid was able to get back to action appearing in nine of the 76ers’ next 13 games before once again being ruled out with a knee injury causing him to miss a month of action.
Embiid eventually made it back to help the 76ers lose eight of their last nine games to kick off the month of February. He has now appeared in 19 of the 76ers’ 56 games this season.
In the recent set of games, Embiid has shown not only a lack of effort but an inability to be consistent on the offensive end. Just this past weekend in games against the Celtics and Nets, Embiid scored 15 and 14 points respectively, the first time he’s scored 15 points or less in back-to-back games since 2021.
Time will tell whether or not Embiid needs surgery, but the idea of the big man being shut down is only going to grow as the season rolls on.
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Matt Brown
Matt has been a Philadelphia sports fan all his life and spent four years at Penn State University majoring in Broadcast Journalism and minoring in Sports Studies. He previously covered Penn State’s field hockey, men’s and women’s basketball, and baseball teams while writing for a Penn State blog called Onward State. He has now covered the Phillies, Eagles, and Sixers for Philly Sports Reports since October 2024 and wants to pursue a career in Sports Journalism.
