Breaking: Sixers Reveal Timeline on Embiid After Surgery


You could say there was good news and bad news coming out of the Philadelphia 76ers camp after Joel Embiid had surgery on his meniscus today. The team says he will be reevaluated in four weeks, which means there is a potential that he could be back in plenty of time for the playoffs... Or not. There’s one ominous line in this report from insider Adrian Wojnarowski:

“… A belief that the door isn’t closed on the possibility of Embiid's return this season." This only leads one to believe that there was, and is, every possibility that he might not return this year.

This, of course, would doom Philly's chances of a championship, in a season when it finally appeared they had a legitimate shot. 

In the meantime, considering the injury history of the 2023 MVP, the Sixers should "shut him down for the season" according to former NBA big man, and current ESPN mouthpiece Kendrick Perkins.

"They shouldn't be reevaluating him in four weeks... Shut him down for the season!" exclaimed Perk Tuesday morning. "Even if he comes back, it's still gonna take time for the big fella to ramp things up and then we'll be going into April, the most crucial point of the NBA season... High-level basketball. And with his history, I wouldn't chance it if I was the Philadelphia 76ers."

But for now, Perkins does not call the shots in Philly, so the team will hold its breath for the next four weeks, and count on its other All-Star, Tyrese Maxey, to continue to have games like the first one he had in Embiid's absence: 

Maxey poured in 51 points in a 127-124 win over the Utah Jazz. Since then, though, it's been another story, as the Sixers have struggled without Embiid, losing games to the Brooklyn Nets and the Dallas Mavericks.

Perkins aside, we should know a lot more about Embiid's status, and the Sixers' chances, early in March.

Photo: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports