Picture the 76ers’ championship dreams last season- derailed before they even left the station. Joel Embiid’s left knee became Philadelphia’s recurring nightmare, limiting him to just 19 games after offseason surgery failed to fix lingering issues. That meniscus tear from February 2024 never truly healed, leaving the MVP grinding through pain during Team USA’s gold medal run. Now, as summer workouts wrap up, whispers about his condition have turned into alarm bells.
Daryl Morey keeps insisting Embiid’s rehab is “on track” for training camp, but league insiders aren’t buying it. Rival execs at Summer League exchanged uneasy glances when Philly’s medical updates dropped- the kind of silence that screams “trouble ahead.” With Paul George also nursing knee problems and Tyrese Maxey carrying the load alone, the Sixers’ $211M gamble hangs by a thread. What do they know that we don’t?
Cue the bombshell. NBACentral’s viral tweet yesterday sourced Brett Siegel’s ClutchPoints report: “Embiid has struggled getting back on the court… things are ‘bad.’” The revelation? He’ll “likely miss the start of training camp”– with some execs claiming the Sixers “regret their decision to extend” his $193M deal. One Eastern Conference source put it bluntly: “The damage has been done. None of us can get word on if it’s actually repairable.”
Joel Embiid’s knee is reportedly in bad shape, and he’s likely to miss the start of training camp. Some around the league believe the Sixers regret extending him, per @BrettSiegelNBA
“Embiid has struggled getting back on the court this offseason, and there is a growing concern… pic.twitter.com/m4iyPrV0NN
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) August 4, 2025
This isn’t just another setback. Embiid’s April arthroscopic surgery- his second knee procedure in 15 months- failed to stop the swelling, mirroring Kawhi Leonard’s chronic battles. Team medics privately compare his cartilage to “worn tire treads,” per Siegel. That extension locking him through 2029? ESPN’s Brian Windhorst calls it “untradeable” now. With George’s groin issues sidelining him too, Philly’s title window slams shut unless Embiid defies medical history.
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