Embiid to weigh options on mending his knee
Joel Embiid ended his season Sunday with a sorry loss, a sore knee and an interesting message.
“I guess there is good and bad in the loss,” he said, “so I can take care of my body.”
Often injured, chronically subjected to load management and, most recently, slowed by a torn meniscus in his right knee, Embiid will face a decision on a possible operation. While meniscus repair is relatively minor, the fact that the Sixers’ offseason is about a month longer than they had anticipated would, in theory, allow the MVP finalist more healing time.
By Tuesday, Sixers president Daryl Morey remained unclear on Embiid’s plan but didn’t rule out surgery.
“In terms of what’s next, I know they are going through a full assessment of him right now,
the medical staff along with Joel and his very good team of advisers,” Morey said. “And the next step will be determined from that.”
Embiid was injured in Game 4 of a first-round series against Washington and missed Game 5, which the Sixers won to advance to the Eastern Conference semifinals. He played in all seven games of the Atlanta series, averaging more than 37 minutes. In the final game, he clocked 40:59, collecting 31 points and 11 rebounds.
Throughout the series, however, Embiid occasionally exhibited less than his normal thrust toward the basket, and often seemed exhausted and turnover-prone in the final minutes.
“Yeah, I think we’re all super-impressed with what Joel was able to do,” Morey said. “He’s sort of the heart and soul of the team, and what he did every night for us will forever be appreciated.”
Embiid acknowledged that the injury was, at times, an impediment.
“It’s a torn meniscus,” he said Sunday. “It is what it is. I guess there is good and bad in the loss so I can take care of my body. I thought long and hard about playing on it. I decided to do it, and it was my choice. And I have to live with the results. But at the end of the day, when it comes to my future, I’ll be fine.”
Meniscus surgery can sideline a player for up to nine weeks, but Embiid would have enough time to recover before training camp. Monday, Doc Rivers said he “didn’t think” Embiid would require surgery, but was clear that he was not sure.
“Look, Jo is one of the smartest players I’ve ever worked with,” Morey said. “And he likes to take lots of input from pretty much every top doctor in the country. Taking all that input, the best decision will be made at that point.”
••• Aware they would be in the championship hunt at the March trade deadline, the Sixers made only one move, acquiring veteran guard George Hill from Oklahoma City in a package that cost them 6-10 Tony Bradley.
Bradley had been a useful backup big man, something the Sixers lacked enough of in the Atlanta series. As for Hill, he needed more time to recover from thumb surgery than expected, never appeared comfortable in a backup role, and shot 7-for-21 against the Hawks, scoring no more than four points in any of the seven games.
“George did play very well, I think,” Morey said. “People are focused on the offense, but defensively he was very strong. We thought he added quite a bit. Obviously, it wasn’t enough. Were there opportunities where we could have done more? The answer is yes. And that’s on me.”
••• Danny Green and Furkan Korkmaz are unsigned. The Sixers will owe Hill only $1.5 million as long as they waive him before July 1.
Morey is holding his freeagency plans tight.
“If there is a veteran out there that makes sense, we’re going to add it,” he said. “We like what George Hill brings. We like what all our free agents bring. Danny and Furkan, obviously, are going to have choices, and we’ll see. But we also love our young players, who had some great moments and really pushed our veterans in the playoffs.”
According to Green, Rivers told him to expect to be back next year. Morey, though, is maintaining his options.
“None of the decisions have been made,” he said. “I will say we really like what George brought. He’s just the kind of guy you want on a team trying to win a championship. Obviously, he has gone very deep in the playoffs many times. So we really like what he brings.
“But in terms of any decisions on contracts, no decisions have been made. We’re going to sit down with every player, with ownership and with Doc and make the decision that is best for the team.”
• • • According to Morey, Ben Simmons has not clarified to the Sixers if he will be playing for Australia in the Olympics, which begin July 23 in Japan.
“I haven’t had a conversation with him about that,” he said. “I’ve always made that a player’s decision. I don’t know what his decision will be, but I think he talked about it with Doc. I’m focused on the 76ers and not really the Olympics.
“If he plays, I will be very excited for him, unless he plays against the United States.”