SAD NEWS:NBA Observations on Joel Embiid’s Injury, LeBron’s………
It’s officially trade deadline week, folks! We’ve already seen a number of deals before Thursday’s deadline. Could we see a little more? To prepare, we examine the latest with Joel Embiid, the Dejounte Murray impasse, the Chicago Bulls’ next move and what’s next for Los Angeles, as LeBron James is sure to stay.Getty Images/Ringer IllustrationIt’s officially trade deadline week, folks! We’ve already seen a number of deals before Thursday’s deadline. Could we see a little more? To prepare, we examine the latest with Joel Embiid, the Dejounte Murray impasse, the Chicago Bulls’ next move and what’s going on with Los Angeles, as LeBron James is sure to stay.1. How will the Philadelphia 76ers react to Embiid’s injury?Embiid will undergo surgery this week for a torn meniscus, but the Sixers have not ruled out a possible return this season. After his meniscus is repaired, the normal recovery time is usually four to six months. When the meniscus is removed, athletes can usually return more quickly, but complications can follow.
The Sixers are reporting an update after surgery, but Embiid had a partial meniscus removed from the same knee in 2017 and did not return this season. At the time, however, the Sixers were tanking. Situations are different now. The Sixers are currently in fifth place in the East, just four games ahead of the seventh place Magic and five games ahead of the eighth place Heat. Philly is 4-10 without Embiid this season and is in danger of falling in the playoffs. There has been debate about the award’s 65-game minimum and its role in Embiid’s premature return. But Daryl Morey also has to ignore the noise and get on with business. The biggest question now is whether Embiid’s situation is a plot point that complicates or explains the front office’s approach to the trade deadline.Since the James Harden deal, I’ve said on The Mismatch that it wouldn’t shock me if the Sixers don’t make a big trade early, go as far as possible in the playoffs, and then do. big move this offseason when they are projected to have a $40 million cap hit. A patient approach makes even more sense if Embiid can’t fully return this season, which will increase the 76ers’ desire to optimize next season.But if the Sixers believe Embiid can come back this season, they might try to add some signings at the deadline to keep a playoff guaranteed.all, why risk slipping in a game when your team has a chance to run? There is no guarantee that Embiid will be healthier in the post-2025 season..
