CAMDEN, N.J. — Joel Embiid's left knee condition and Paul George's left knee bone bruise have kept them on the sideline to begin the 2024-25 season. The Philadelphia 76ers veterans are making progress but each is still working toward a return to the court.
Ahead of the Sixers' Saturday showdown with the Memphis Grizzlies, their final home game before embarking on a West Coast trip next week, the team announced that Embiid and George were full participants in practice, including five-on-five scrimmaging. However, they will both still be out against Memphis. Embiid said that he does not have a target date for his return right now.
“I started doing some live stuff and it feels pretty good,” the 76ers superstar said. “So, should be back pretty soon.” Being able to trust his knee again is the biggest obstacle right now, though Embiid said that he's “almost there” and that “everything is trending the right way.”
“I think everybody that knows me knows that I would love to be out there every single game,” Embiid said. “It's just unfortunate that some of them are not as lucky as others to be part of every single game. I wish that wasn't the case but it's not for the lack of trying.”
For George, getting his conditioning back up to speed is his main goal. The Sixers' forward doesn’t want to subject himself to more risk because of fatigue. Being sidelined has been “completely frustrating” but he has found ways to remain engaged with his new team. Asked if he will travel with the team to the West Coast, George emphatically said he “absolutely” will be.
“I had a really good two days of finally being on-court and practicing and running hard and being in live action,” he said. “The knee up to this point feels really good.”
76ers' Joel Embiid, Paul George working towards returns from injury
Without Embiid and George, the 76ers have stumbled to a 1-3 start, posting one of the very worst offenses in the NBA, devoid of three-point shooting and playmaking. It was clear that the roster would be top-heavy when it was assembled but its inability to withstand any opponent, let alone teams expected to be out of the playoff picture like the Detroit Pistons and Toronto Raptors, is a massive disappointment. Detroit, Toronto and the Milwaukee Bucks are the only other Eastern Conference teams with one win each so far — and those wins have all come against Philly.
The 76ers got fined $100,000 by the NBA for contradictory statements about Embiid's condition. They weren’t in violation of rules regarding player participation by sitting Embiid out but downplayed the issues with his left knee to the point that the league hit them with a hefty fine. For the time being, the big man is working to get right behind the scenes.
In the lead-up to the season, the 76ers emphasized how important it is to keep Embiid (and George) healthy for the playoffs. Although their absences underscore the massive holes throughout the rest of the roster, whether they earnestly compete for the championship comes down to how those two stars and Tyrese Maxey perform. Health will be the ultimate factor and preaching caution throughout the season is the best way to avoid unnecessary harm.