Joel Embiid Says He Can't Get Back To Himself Until Knee Problem Is Corrected

[RealGM Wiretap]

Joel Embiid was candid about his status following the Philadelphia 76ers blowout home loss to the Boston Celtics. Embiid said he won't get back to being himself until he has further surgery to "fix the problem" with his ailing left knee.

"The way I was playing a year ago is not the way I'm playing right now," Embiid said after the loss to Boston. "It sucks. ... I probably need to fix the problem, and then I'll be back at that level. But it's hard to have trust when you're not yourself."

Embiid said the time off before and during the All-Star break helped "a little bit", but that he's "still managing it" with his knee. The former MVP said that he plans to keep playing, because he thinks he can still have a positive impact for the Sixers.

"I'm not as dominant as I was a couple of months ago, but that doesn't mean I still can't have a lot of impact on the game," Embiid said. "Just me being out there, I think, helps a lot. My presence, my ability to attract double-teams, get guys more shots.

"It's just tough because you know you can do so much more. But there's no excuses. It's just the way it is. You just have to find ways to figure it out and get better."

Via Tim Bontemps/ESPN

[the_process]

This is stupid. Shut him down, get the surgery.

[Ticket]

Since he’s back his +/- is -56 compared to a team -44.

So your impact on the floor is negative Joel. Shut it down.

[Pickled Prunes]

This is stupid. Shut him down, get the surgery.

Everybody would like to avoid surgery whenever possible, but obviously rest isn't helping.

Since he’s back his +/- is -56 compared to a team -44.

So your impact on the floor is negative Joel. Shut it down.

That's an argument to keep him out there. PHI is tied with BRK for the 6th worst record and their pick is top-6 protected. Embiid isn't exactly helping them win right now, but every remaining minute of this season should be dedicated to developing their role players for next season. Keeping that pick would be a welcome side effect.

[Luv those Knicks]

It's worth asking what the recovery time is on the surgery. If he waits another month, will he be ready to start the season next year or will this cut into next season's playing time, and even if it does, how big a deal is it to miss the first month of a season? It might even help him come playoff time having less mileage.

I remember with Randle last year for NY, he waited on the surgery because the surgery meant he'd miss the playoffs. He missed the playoffs anyway, he couldn't recover but waiting in that situation made sense because he wanted to come back for the playoffs and surgery would have nixed that, but he was able to recover in the off-season and be ready to play at the start of this year. Different surgery though, so might have a different timetable.

Maybe Embiid is hoping for a play to play and a playoff run, so he's trying to put off the surgery. It's got to be a disappointing season for him, he's always missed games, but adding Paul George. Philly probably liked their chances going into this season. It obviously hasn't worked out.

I'm not saying it's smart, but I respect a player who wants to win, and I think Embiid is an a*hole the way he plays and hurts other players, but he wants to win. Delaying surgery and trying to come back, I won't fault a player for that mid-season.

[Luv those Knicks]

This is stupid. Shut him down, get the surgery.

Everybody would like to avoid surgery whenever possible, but obviously rest isn't helping.

Since he’s back his +/- is -56 compared to a team -44.

So your impact on the floor is negative Joel. Shut it down.

That's an argument to keep him out there. PHI is tied with BRK for the 6th worst record and their pick is top-6 protected. Embiid isn't exactly helping them win right now, but every remaining minute of this season should be dedicated to developing their role players for next season. Keeping that pick would be a welcome side effect.

Players shouldn't be asked to play for a draft pick not transferring. (Kyrie Irving being the exception, he was happy to play to lose). That kind of tank-foolery needs to be in the hands of the general manager and the coach. That said, he's not helping them this year, so the effect is minimal and this is mostly moot, but even a player with a worse plus-minus, when they're out of the lineup, the lineup is shorter, so you don't really know the effect they're having, and plus-minus is notoriusly unreliable.

[Pickled Prunes]

This is stupid. Shut him down, get the surgery.

Everybody would like to avoid surgery whenever possible, but obviously rest isn't helping.

Since he’s back his +/- is -56 compared to a team -44.

So your impact on the floor is negative Joel. Shut it down.

That's an argument to keep him out there. PHI is tied with BRK for the 6th worst record and their pick is top-6 protected. Embiid isn't exactly helping them win right now, but every remaining minute of this season should be dedicated to developing their role players for next season. Keeping that pick would be a welcome side effect.

Players shouldn't be asked to play for a draft pick not transferring. (Kyrie Irving being the exception, he was happy to play to lose). That kind of tank-foolery needs to be in the hands of the general manager and the coach. That said, he's not helping them this year, so the effect is minimal and this is mostly moot, but even a player with a worse plus-minus, when they're out of the lineup, the lineup is shorter, so you don't really know the effect they're having, and plus-minus is notoriusly unreliable.

I am super anti-tanking... but they aren't tanking; they just suck! I was kidding about making Embiid play for lottery balls. I was clearly suggesting he get surgery ASAP and look to next season.

And yes, you are right, when you take someone out of the lineup, those minutes go to the end of the bench... which is where PHI needs development before next season.

[Luv those Knicks]

I am super anti-tanking... but they aren't tanking; they just suck! I was kidding about making Embiid play for lottery balls. I was clearly suggesting he get surgery ASAP and look to next season.

And yes, you are right, when you take someone out of the lineup, those minutes go to the end of the bench... which is where PHI needs development before next season.

Wow. I think we agree on basically everything for a change. That's cool.

I'm not 100% anti tanking. I get it. It can make sense to sell vets for draft picks and try to win the lottery and rebuild that way. There's a logic to it, though the expanded lottery makes it somewhat less rewarding. There's still a reward, but it's smaller.

There's now a reward for missing or losing in the play to play, but so far, only Dallas has taken advantage of that, unless I missed another team doing it. Dallas was obvious about it.

I think tanking is taken too far and done too often, but I think there's a place for it and I don't always disagree with the approach.

And I agree with you on Philly just being bad and part of that is injuries. They could be a pest to a higher win team if they make it to the playoffs.

[Pickled Prunes]

I am super anti-tanking... but they aren't tanking; they just suck! I was kidding about making Embiid play for lottery balls. I was clearly suggesting he get surgery ASAP and look to next season.

And yes, you are right, when you take someone out of the lineup, those minutes go to the end of the bench... which is where PHI needs development before next season.

Wow. I think we agree on basically everything for a change. That's cool.

I'm not 100% anti tanking. I get it. It can make sense to sell vets for draft picks and try to win the lottery and rebuild that way. There's a logic to it, though the expanded lottery makes it somewhat less rewarding. There's still a reward, but it's smaller.

There's now a reward for missing or losing in the play to play, but so far, only Dallas has taken advantage of that, unless I missed another team doing it. Dallas was obvious about it.

I think tanking is taken too far and done too often, but I think there's a place for it and I don't always disagree with the approach.

And I agree with you on Philly just being bad and part of that is injuries. They could be a pest to a higher win team if they make it to the playoffs.

PHI would get swept by any of the top 3 teams in the East.

I understand why teams tank. It makes sense with the way the lottery is currently set up. But when you get down to the last few games of the season and the standings are tight, every win counts. It flies in the face of competitive sports to have teams sitting players in hopes of increasing their lottery odds. The Celtic's last two games of the season are both against CHA. The NYK have CLE and BRK. So, if BOS and NYK are tied going into the last two games of the season... how are you going to feel about tanking?

(IND has CLE/ORL/CLE for their last 3!)

I could fix the lottery to be fair while almost totally eliminating tanking... but Adam Silver wont call me back!

[pushfloater]

Great that the Eagles won the superbowl because no good news in coming from the 76ers for a while.. should’ve traded Embiid when the window of opportunity was there.

[ThunderBolt]

Joel Embiid playing hurt and needing surgery before the end of the season is Joel "being himself". Hate to say it but it's hard to see each year not getting worse.