Joel Embiid Is Probably Headed For Another Surgery

According to ESPN’s Marc Stein, Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid is “very likely” to have surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus in his left knee.

Embiid has been out of the Sixers’ lineup since late January, and was officially shut down for the season in March due to the slight meniscus tear and a bone bruise in the same knee. He missed his first two years in the league after having two surgeries to repair his right foot.

It seemed like the Sixers were going to great lengths to keep Embiid off the operating table. Last week, the Philadelphia Inquirer that Embiid flew to Los Angeles with the team to meet with multiple specialists who were in town for the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons’ annual meeting.

If Embiid does end up having surgery, it’s not entirely clear how long he’ll need to recover. If the meniscus tear is slight, as the Sixers have said it is, he could be ready to play in six to eight weeks. A more major tear could keep him out as long as eight months.