Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid will sit out the remainder of the team’s preseason games to manage his left knee injury, as reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Gina Mizell. Embiid will miss the final three exhibition games, marking his absence from all six of the team’s preseason matchups.
Embiid has not participated in five-on-five scrimmages during the team’s practices, although Mizell reports that he is “progressing well” and will continue to follow an individual treatment plan to support his health for the 2024-25 season.
The seven-time All-Star previously missed February and March of the 2023-24 season due to a meniscus injury in his left knee, which caused him to miss 29 games. Embiid underwent surgery to address the issue, but the team did not disclose the specific details of the procedure or the extent of the damage. He returned in time for the 76ers’ first-round playoff series against the New York Knicks, where despite averaging 33 points, 10.8 rebounds, and 5.7 assists, including a 50-point performance in Game 3, the team was eliminated in six games.
Due to his extended injury absence, Embiid did not meet the requirement of playing 65 games to be eligible for end-of-season awards, including MVP, in which he was initially a contender.
This past summer, Embiid represented the United States at the Paris Olympics, helping secure a fifth consecutive gold medal in men’s basketball. Although he did not play in the group-stage game against South Sudan, Embiid started in all five other games, averaging 11.2 points and 3.8 rebounds, while shooting 6-of-11 from beyond the arc.
The 76ers will face the Atlanta Hawks and Brooklyn Nets on Monday and Wednesday, respectively, before concluding their preseason against the Orlando Magic on Friday. The team’s regular season opener is scheduled for October 23 at home against the Milwaukee Bucks.
