After a 2024–25 season in which he barely played due to physical issues, Joel Embiid underwent knee surgery in March with the goal of being ready to compete in the NBA next season. Now, the General Manager of the Philadelphia 76ers, Daryl Morey, has shared details about that recovery process.
“What we’re hearing from the early returns on his rehab is that he’s working very hard,” Morey said during a recent interview with PHLY Sixers Podcast, referring to the recovery exercises Embiid is currently doing to regain peak physical condition.
However, the Sixers GM was later more cautious. “I think it’s going to be hard to have anything tangible for the fans until you see him out there in training camp, see him out there in early preseason games,” he said.
These words from the GM echo what The Athletic reporter Tony Jones stated a few days ago, when he gave a not-so-encouraging update on Embiid’s recovery by revealing that the Cameroonian center still wasn’t doing on-court work, four months after undergoing surgery.
President of basketball operations of the Philadelphia 76ers, Daryl Morey.
“I think until that time it’s going to be a little hard to have anything for the fans to see tangible, but I don’t know how to do better except that,” added Daryl Morey, tempering the expectations of fans eagerly awaiting the return of the 2023 NBA MVP.
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But the slow pace of recovery doesn’t seem to be affecting Philadelphia’s optimism about Joel’s possible return date. According to Jones, they still believe the 31-year-old superstar will be ready to play at the start of the 2024–25 season, scheduled for late October. By then, more than seven months will have passed since the knee operation.
The Sixers’ performance during the last NBA campaign made it clear how much the team needs Embiid. The center was only able to play in 19 of the 82 games, but when he was on the court, he posted some of the team’s best numbers: 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists.
It’s clear that Philadelphia’s failure in the 2024–25 season wasn’t only due to Embiid’s extended absence. The other two stars on the roster, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George, also dealt with issues that ultimately affected the team’s overall performance and results.
The young point guard shined on the court, leading the team when available, but a finger injury ended his season after just 52 games. George, meanwhile, had physical issues that impacted not only his availability but also his performance, playing in only 50% of the games and posting his worst numbers in a decade.
The first attempt to build a Big Three capable of turning them into title contenders failed, largely due to uncontrollable setbacks like injuries. But with hopes that this trend reverses, Philadelphia might now be able to take advantage of the fact that several of their top rivals in the Eastern Conference could be weakened by the loss of key players, such as the Indiana Pacers and the Boston Celtics.
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