Sixers

Report: “Optimism” that Joel Embiid Can Return Before Playoffs

By Kevin Kinkead

Published: Feb 22nd, 2024 · 10:30 AM EST

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Couple of clips here regarding Joel Embiid’s injury status. The first one is a Ramona Shelburne report from NBA Today, and the second is John Clark on his Take Off podcast speaking with Nick Nurse:

After seeing this, do u think he’s comming back pic.twitter.com/Cz80xMxQGd

— kickingitwithsb (@sdot23) February 21, 2024

“I hope we can get a couple weeks in and get him some games and get him healthy for Round 1”

-Nick Nurse is hoping Joel Embiid can return a few weeks before playoffs. Joel was back at Sixers facility to watch practice.
🎧Podcast with Nick on Sixers⬇️https://t.co/bH3VaTWfXa pic.twitter.com/AvQdZ036tq

— John Clark (@JClarkNBCS) February 22, 2024

Shelburne: “There is an optimism in Philadelphia that Joel Embiid can return at some point during the regular season, at least close enough to the playoffs to get his rhythm heading into the playoffs. But (the Sixers) don’t want to put any time frame on it until he starts ramping up, but I’m told he went to practice (earlier this week), he got there early to see how everything was in the morning, but…his enthusiasm is there.”

Shelburne has always been connected to Embiid’s camp and typically has solid information. Embiid hasn’t played since January 30th, the Golden State game, and then had his knee “procedure” on February 6th, so hypothetically if he returned on April 6th, that’s two full months, giving him five games to work his way back into rhythm before the playoffs begin. That’s an arbitrary date on the calendar, but there’s enough room to work his way back since the surgery was done before the All Star Break. We’ll see. Cautious optimism as the Sixers try to remove half of their roster from the injury report and get them back on the floor.