The absence of Joel Embiid (managing a left knee injury) and Paul George (suffering from a left knee bone bruise) is becoming the main focus for the Philadelphia 76ers ahead of their season opener against the Milwaukee Bucks on Wednesday.
Reports indicate that the NBA may take a closer look at the situation involving Embiid. According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the league is expected to begin an investigation this week regarding the 76ers and Embiid’s player participation.
A Sixers official stated on Tuesday that Embiid is responding positively to his individualized recovery plan and is anticipated to increase his training activities this week. However, he will not play this week and will be reassessed over the weekend.
Embiid previously sustained a left lateral meniscus injury last year, returning towards the end of the regular season and during the playoffs, where he averaged 33.0 points and 10.8 rebounds in a first-round series against the New York Knicks. He also secured an Olympic gold medal with Team USA this summer.
During the Sixers’ media day on September 30, Embiid emphasized the importance of being healthy for the postseason. Head coach Nick Nurse noted on Tuesday that Embiid has not faced any setbacks.
Upon being asked about Embiid not being ready for the opening night, Nurse responded, “I don’t know what to say to you. He’s in practice, he’s looking good, he’s progressing. He’s not quite ready yet. He’ll be ready pretty soon.”
The NBA has previously penalized the Sixers for violations related to injury reporting concerning Embiid. Last season, ahead of his return in April, the team first listed him as out, only to upgrade his status to questionable just two hours before the game. The league fined the team $100,000 in that instance for not accurately disclosing Embiid’s game availability and for their history of similar violations.