Injuries have been a recurring issue throughout Joel Embiid’s career, and with the Philadelphia 76ers star set to miss the remainder of the NBA preseason, he’s shifted focus to maintaining his long-term fitness. With that goal in mind, Embiid has made a significant career decision regarding his availability for back-to-back games.
According to ESPN‘s Tim Bontemps, Embiid has decided to limit his participation in games played on consecutive days. “If I had to guess, I would probably never play back-to-backs the rest of my career,” Embiid said to the journalist.
As Bontemps reports, the 76ers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey also addressed Embiid’s fitness situation, emphasizing the team’s focus on keeping him healthy throughout the season: “We’re going to be smart about it. Part of being smart about it is having both Paul (George) and Joel probably not play many back to backs, if any.”
It has turned into a team’s policy to get Embiid as healthy as possible for the playoffs. Last season, “The Process” played just 39 games last year after a knee injury in late January wiped out his chances of defending his MVP award. He returned for the playoffs against the New York Knicks, though it was evident he wasn’t at full strength.
Joel Embiid sidelined for the rest of the preseason
Embiid was ruled out for the rest of the preseason on Sunday, going through almost a similar situation than last year, where he only played in one preseason game.
The Sixers released a statement to announce the player’s situation: “As part of his left knee management, Joel Embiid was assessed by doctors on Thursday. Embiid is progressing well and will continue to take part in an individual treatment plan designed to best support his health and wellness for the 2024-25 season. He will not play in this week’s preseason games. Further updates will be provided as appropriate.“
With Embiid’s health being the top priority, the Sixers are preparing him for the NBA regular-season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks on October 23 in Philadelphia.
76ers plans for 2024-25 season
Despite Embiid’s ongoing injury management, the 76ers have high aspirations for the 2024-25 season. They made a splash in free agency by signing All-Star Paul George, extended both Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to long-term deals, and retained key free agents Kelly Oubre Jr. and Kyle Lowry. They also added depth by signing Caleb Martin, Eric Gordon, and Andre Drummond to round out the rotation.
Embiid, aiming to relieve pressure on his knee, has reportedly dropped 25 to 30 pounds ahead of training camp. The NBA Finals are clearly on the 76ers’ plans for this season. “I’ve accomplished everything (individually), but there’s one thing missing, which is to win a championship,” Embiid said to ESPN.