Philadelphia 76ers star center and reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid is out at least the next month after undergoing surgery to address a meniscus injury to his left knee.
There is no telling whether Embiid will be back on the court moving forward this season. He will be re-evaluated at that four-week point.
This injury could not have come at a worst time for Philadelphia. The NBA trade deadline is coming on Thursday, leading to major questions about what general manager Daryl Morey has planned.
The 76ers find themselve at 30-19 and as the fifth seed in the Eastern Conference. They want to at least maintain a top-six seed to avoid the NBA Play-In Tournament. Philadelphia is also a mere 2.5 games out of the second seed. Hence, the quagmire this team is in right now.
Update on Philadelphia 76ers trade plans following Joel Embiid injury
ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reported on Tuesday that the 76ers still plan on remaining buyers before the deadline in less than 48 hours.
“They’re aggressive. They know they have a tight window with Joel Embiid. They know there’s risk in doing a deal here,” Wojnarowski reported. “But I think they are willing to live with that risk.”
Wojnarowski specifically mentioned backup centers like Andre Drummond of the Chicago Bulls, who had suited up with the team in the past. But he also mentioned that Morey and Co. are active on multiple fronts.
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The question here is how active Philadelphia will be. Things have stalled around the Association with less than 48 hours to go. It could lead to a seller’s market.
Internally, Philadelphia has a better idea than us when it comes to Embiid’s injury. That will play a role in the decision-making process.
If the team doesn’t believe he’ll be back this season, it makes no sense to give up young players and/or future draft capital. Without Embiid, the 76ers are not title contenders. If Philadelphia is confident he’ll return at 100%, that changes the thought process big time.