Joel Embiid and the Sixers are consulting doctors and considering alternative options for treatment of his left injured left knee, Shams Charania of ESPN reported on Sunday evening. Moments later, appearing on "NBA Countdown," Charania elaborated on his initial reporting and added that surgery, while not deemed necessary, is one of the options on the table for Embiid, who Charania also reported has experienced swelling in his knee once again after Saturday night's loss to the Brooklyn Nets.
Here’s what Shams Charania reported minutes ago on ESPN: pic.twitter.com/b51VlgoJH3
— Adam Aaronson (@SixersAdam) February 23, 2025
Embiid looked like a shell of himself for three quarters against Brooklyn, and his team nearly staged a late comeback with him on the bench. Embiid did not play at all in the final frame, which could perhaps be the final chapter in a hellish season for the 2022-23 NBA MVP, who last season was playing at a substantially higher level before tearing his meniscus at the end of January.
Over a year removed from the surgery, Embiid has still not found any semblance of stability with his knee, not just limiting his availability but tremendously diminishing his movement skills and overall production. Embiid has only played in 19 of the Sixers' 56 regular season games so far this season.
Embiid, who turns 31 years old next month, is on the books for another four seasons after this one, a period in which he will make approximately $250 million. The Sixers inked him to a three-year, $193 million contract extension prior to the start of training camp after deliberating with multiple doctors.
As of this writing, Embiid remains listed as questionable with "left knee injury management" for the Sixers' home game against the Chicago Bulls on Monday night.
Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam
Follow PhillyVoice on Twitter: @thephillyvoice