In a press release, the Philadelphia 76ers announced Embiid's injury due to a left knee injury. This stemmed from the constant hits he has taken throughout the season. Embiid will be out for the remainder of the NBA regular season.
This is the second consecutive season in which the American center has missed the season due to knee issues. Last season, Embiid played only 39 games until a meniscus injury in his left knee arose. Despite undergoing surgery last season, he was heavily criticized by the 76ers coaching staff for participating with Team USA in the Olympics last summer, where he was not a regular starter, sharing minutes with Anthony Davis.
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Joel Embiid's absence ends a significant part of the team's playoff hopes. Currently, the Philadelphia 76ers have a 21-38 record, placing them in eleventh place in the Eastern Conference, outside the playoff spots.
The 76ers were positioned as one of the favorites to fight for the final playoff spots, especially with the arrival of Paul George to the roster during free agency. Now, with Embiid's absence, coupled with Jared McCain's injuries, the team is significantly weakened defensively. This is due to the fact that the American averaged 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 3.7 assists, making him the team's leading rebounder. He achieved these numbers in the 19 games he played this season.
Is Embiid's future in Philadelphia in jeopardy?
Joel Embiid has accustomed 76ers fans to not being in every regular-season game, and Philadelphia's front office will surely consider a future without "The Process" as part of the roster. The main problem is the center's high salary and current contract, which limits the team's options for finding a replacement on the market.
Rookie Adem Bona has benefited the most from this situation, although, being his first year, he hasn't been able to showcase his talent and adequately replace the Philly superstar.
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