Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid will miss the rest of the season after a recent MRI scan revealed the meniscus tear in his left knee is “more pronounced,” the team announced on Wednesday. The scan also concluded that the bone bruise to Embiid’s same knee has improved significantly.
Joel Embiid injury to sideline 76ers center for rest of NBA season
Embiid’s status was updated from out indefinitely to out for the season with a torn meniscus. He ended up playing in just 31 games this year.
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Embiid slightly tore his meniscus in a game against the Portland Trail Blazers on Jan. 20. The injury was believed to be pre-existing, and Philadelphia listed the rookie center as out indefinitely due to knee swelling. He has since played in just one of 18 possible games.
The injury does not have much bearing on the Sixers (22-37), who are far from contention of the Eastern Conference playoff picture. But it is yet another debilitating blow to Embiid’s career, which was delayed two years due to recurring foot injuries.
Philadelphia also traded its second-year rim protector, Nerlens Noel, to the Dallas Mavericks at the trade deadline.
The sensational Sixers big man took the NBA by storm in his first season, posting averages of 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks per game as the Rookie of the Year frontrunner.
Embiid, however, has been unable to stay healthy, appearing in just 31 of Philadelphia’s 59 games. It is unclear if he will retain his standing atop the Rookie of the Year ladder without playing in at least half of 82-game season.
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