The 2024-25 NBA season has officially ended for Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. The team announced on Friday that the seven-time All-Star is out for the season.
“The Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid have been consulting with top specialists regarding ongoing issues with his left knee,” the team said in a statement announcing the move. “After further evaluation, it has been determined that he is medically unable to play and will miss the remainder of the season to focus on treatment and rehabilitation.
“We are working with medical experts to determine the exact treatment plan and will update media when we have more information. The team and specialists will continue working with Joel to ensure the best path forward for his long-term health and performance.”
Due to ongoing issues with his left knee, Embiid, who signed a three-year, $193 million extension with the team in the offseason, played in only 19 games this season, the fewest he’s played in his career.
Last January, the 30-year-old Embiid had knee surgery after a meniscus injury; he returned later that season but was not the same. Last summer, he played in the Olympics, and while he helped Team USA win Gold, he was limited.
After the signing of Paul George, Philadelphia had hopes of winning an NBA title, but that fades away, for now, following the loss of Embiid.
It’s sad to see a player so gifted and talented be saddled down due to injuries. Embiid, who won the MVP in 2023, is definitely a Hall of Famer. He has the skill set that could make him an all-time great, and maybe he can still get there at some point, but the odds seem against it.
Regarding the current 76ers(20-38), they are currently on a nine-game losing streak and are three games behind the Bulls for the 10th and final spot in the Play-In Tournament. There is enough talent on this team to make the Play-In Tournament and enough to get into the playoffs, but without Embiid, there’s not enough to win an NBA title. Maybe they can also shut Paul George down, tank, and try to secure a lottery pick.
However, they have to make sure the pick does fall below six because their first-round pick is protected for selections 1-6. If it goes above six, the pick goes to OKC.
We’ll see how the 76ers will handle things the rest of the way.
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