Joel Embiid Undergoes Surgery On Left Knee

MARCH 24, 7:22pm: Embiid underwent successful arthroscopic surgery today on his left knee, the Sixers announced in a press release.

The young center will be able to transition back to full weight-bearing activites on the leg in about two weeks, at which point he’ll begin a conservative rehab process, per Dr. Neal S. ElAttrache, who performed the procedure.

GM Bryan Colangelo added in a statement that the team is forecasting a “healthy return to basketball activity” for Embiid.

MARCH 22, 6:20pm: Embiid will have surgery on his left knee at some point over the next few days, the Sixers announced via its Twitter feed.

4:10pm: After having been shut down for the season as a result of a knee injury, Joel Embiid is considered “very likely” to undergo surgery on that troublesome left knee, reports ESPN’s Marc Stein. The Sixers have yet to make an official announcement regarding Embiid.

Sources tell Stein that the Sixers have been “extensively exploring” treatment options for Embiid, who suffered a partially torn meniscus and a bone bruise in his left knee earlier this year. When Philadelphia announced three weeks ago that Embiid would miss the rest of the season the team indicated that it was working with “leading specialists” to determine the best course of action for the young center.

Assuming Embiid does go under the knife, a recovery timetable won’t be established until after the procedure, Stein notes. Presumably, the 23-year-old’s rehab timeline would put him on track to be ready for the 2017/18 regular season, but this offseason will be an interesting one for Embiid and the Sixers.

As I noted earlier this month, Embiid is one of several third-year players whose injury issues will complicate contract talks this offseason. The former No. 3 overall pick looked like a potential franchise cornerstone when he was healthy earlier this season, but he has appeared in just 31 games over the course of three NBA seasons. He’ll be extension-eligible for the first time as of July 1, and it will be interesting to see what sort of deal the 76ers are willing to put on the table. If Embiid isn’t extended this year, he’ll be eligible for restricted free agency in 2018.

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