Joel Embiid’s status for the Philadelphia 76ers’ long-term future was still uncertain on Saturday as the two-time NBA MVP and the team’s management waited to see what options would be available for him following his meniscus tear at Golden State on Tuesday night. “I don’t know, we’re still waiting on that, too,” said Sixers coach Nick Nurse when asked to provide an update on Embiid before Philadelphia’s matchup with the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night. “We’ll see what we can do in the meantime.”
The Sixers have been without Embiid for the past two games on what the club referred to as left knee swelling, with the center listed as questionable for most of December with swelling in his knee. Nurse said that the club was not aware of any meniscus issues until Tuesday night.
In Embiid’s absence, Philadelphia will need to find a replacement for the 35.3-point, 11.3-rebounding center that has been a staple of the team’s offense for years. Paul Reed is expected to share time at center alongside Mo Bamba, and the Sixers may look to trade for a center before the February 8 trade deadline to fill Embiid’s void.
