Embiid held out of practice, is expected to play in opener
CAMDEN, N.J. » After signing a $148 million contract extension, but before the Sixers would open the regular season Wednesday in Washington, Joel Embiid Sunday was in a familiar spot.
He was on the sideline at the Sixers’ training center, wearing no shoes, exercising lightly, and at the top of the injury report.
After practice Sunday, Brett Brown was brief in his discussion about Embiid, saying only that he expected the center to return to practice Monday. Asked if he felt Embiid would play in the Sixers’ regular-season opener Wednesday in Washington, Brown said, “I do.”
Embiid missed practice due to “left knee rehabilitation” and “left ankle sprain,” according to the Sixers’ official medical update. He played just 31 games last season before injuring his left knee, requiring surgery and a lengthy recovery.
Embiid played the final two of the Sixers’ five preseason games, including 15 minutes Friday in a 119-95 victory over the Miami Heat in Kansas City. He shot 1-for-7 in that game with no formal postgame trouble.
The Sixers reported that Embiid “took part in individualized training,” Sunday. But in the period of the session open to the press, he was on the sidelines, shoeless, while his teammates continued to practice. After practice, Embiid took several threepoint shots, again with no shoes.
The Sixers do not make injured players available to the press.
*** The Sixers finalized their roster Saturday, waiving Kris Humphries, Emeka Okafor and James Blackmon to reach the 15man report of ankle limit.
Jacob Pullen and James Michael McAdoo remain with the team on two-way contracts. Though they are ticketed for the G-League Delaware 87ers, they will be able to spend up to 45 days with the Sixers during the regular season.
“I think it’s fantastic for our guys,” Brown said. “With the European market, they could have gone over and made a significant amount of money. And it’s a gamble, where they can stay here in the NBA’s back yard and not accept a more lucrative contract in hopes they get pulled up here.
“In general, it’s good for our league to hold onto our own guys and give them a chance under our sort of watch.”
*** NOTES » Richaun Holmes, who has a broken bone in his left wrist, did not practice Sunday … A knee injury sidelined Timothe LuwawuCabarrot early in training camp, but he played the final three preseason games and will be in a battle for regular-season playing time on the perimeter. “I’m just doing my work,” he said. “That’s what I am here for. And I don’t pay attention to that.” … The Sixers will practice Tuesday and Wednesday at their training complex.