This season has been a disaster for the Philadelphia 76ers. Despite having high expectations after landing Paul George in free agency, the 76ers are just 20-32 and 1.5 games out of a Play-In spot. At the trade deadline, the 76ers made few moves to improve their roster for the second half of the season. While a playoff spot is still possible, it is unlikely they will make any serious noise. Possibly the biggest reason for Philadelphia’s shortcomings is their injuries. More specifically, Joel Embiid has appeared in just 16 games this season, though he has played both games since the trade deadline. Furthermore, Jared McCain, who was in line to be a top Rookie of the Year candidate, suffered a season-ending knee in December.
Recently, according to ESPN’s Lisa Salters, Embiid expects to undergo another knee surgery in the offseason. Before the season started, Embiid signed a three-year, $193 million contract extension, which now seems like a big risk. NBA insider Brian Windhorst recently explained why the 76ers have a “Joel Embiid problem” that could hold the franchise back for the long haul. Additionally, Windhorst said that Embiid is “not tradeable” even if the 76ers wanted to go that route (YouTube link).
“Yes, absolutely,” said Brian Windhorst when asked if the Sixers have a Joel Embiid problem. “Because, I know that people would like this to be a cut and dry issue, you either need surgery or you don’t. That’s not necessarily clear here. He has seen a number of specialists. There isn’t a clear path on how to resolve this issue. He’s still playing obviously. They’ve got him playing. If they thought he needed knee surgery, trust me, the Sixers would have dealt with it. He’s playing right now.
“He’s not tradeable right now,” added Windhorst. “That contract makes his value not realistic. And just on Friday, Daryl Morey coming out of the trade deadline still reaffirm ‘We think he’s a top-five player. We don’t regret signing Paul George.'”
NBA Insider Explains Why Philadelphia 76ers Cannot Trade Joel Embiid
Darryl Morey Believes Joel Embiid’s Symptoms Will Improve
Despite the disappointing season the 76ers have had so far, President of Basketball Operations Darryl Morey gave an optimistic take on Embiid’s injury. Per Derek Bodner, Morey has confidence that Embiid’s symptoms will improve, even if the progression is slower than expected.
Daryl Morey says that they are confident that Joel Embiid’s symptoms regarding his left knee will improve over time, but that the progression has been slower getting to that point than they expected.
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) February 7, 2025
If Morey truly believes this, then it seems unlikely they would entertain a trade for Embiid regardless. When healthy, Embiid is a top player in the league who impacts the game at each level. Unfortunately for him and the 76ers, Embiid is constantly dealing with injuries, which has been a problem throughout his entire career.
The Last Word
Even given his injuries, it is tough to imagine the 76ers would trade Embiid. However, we have seen many crazy things happen in the league even as recently as this month. For now, though, the 76ers will look to turn things around and make a playoff push. Throughout the rest of the season, they are a team to monitor.
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