This Thursday (November 18) is the earliest that Joel Embiid could return after his stint in the NBA’s health and safety protocols, but Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer said on the HoopsHype Podcast with Michael Scotto that the Sixers center will likely be out a little longer than that.
As Pompey explains, Embiid was symptomatic after contracting COVID-19 and “hasn’t been doing anything basketball-wise” during his absence, so he’ll likely need some time to ramp back up and get game-ready. While Pompey acknowledges it’s possible the All-NBA big man is back in the lineup on Thursday, he thinks it’s more likely to happen on Saturday or sometime next week.
[UPDATE: Embiid has been ruled out for Thursday’s game, tweets Pompey.]
Here’s more on the Sixers:
- Pompey also told Scotto that Matisse Thybulle (health and safety protocols) should be back by next week, if not sooner. Head coach Doc Rivers didn’t offer any real specifics on Tuesday when asked by reporters about potential return dates for Embiid and Thybulle, as Pompey tweets.
- Ben Simmons was, of course, a popular topic of conversation during Pompey’s appearance on the HoopsHype Podcast. During that discussion, Pompey said he still believes Simmons has played his last game as a Sixer, but trade talks appear to be “on pause” for now. Scotto said he has heard from some executives that the 76ers’ hot start without Simmons may have hurt the 25-year-old’s value a little in the eyes of potential suitors. “When you lose a star player, you typically struggle, but Philadelphia coming out of the gate, was leading the Eastern Conference,” Scotto said, noting the team has slumped since Embiid was sidelined.
- Kyle Neubeck of PhillyVoice.com takes an in-depth look at where the Simmons situation stands. Within his column, Neubeck argues there’s an inherent contradiction between agent Rich Paul‘s claim that negative publicity is hurting Simmons’ mental health and Klutch Sports’ apparent willingness to wage a PR battle by leaking details of the standoff to media outlets.
- As Pompey writes for The Philadelphia Inquirer, Isaiah Joe said that he experienced some symptoms of COVID-19, including loss of smell, during his time in the health and safety protocols, but is feeling better now. Joe played on Tuesday for the first time since November 3, logging a season-high 24 minutes in Philadelphia’s blowout loss in Utah.
The Sixers “hot start” might be an illusion. They’ve lost 5 straight. If the losing streak represents the reality of the team, then they might attempt a reset. I think Simmons will wind up with the Lakers. They are desperate. The Sixers could work out a deal with LAL and maybe a 3rd team and unload both Simmons and Harris. Harris is a good player but isn’t worth $34mil/yr for 2 more years. The Sixers will get pennies on the dollar but will gain financial flexibility and draft assets. They could then shut down Embiid and tank.
How exactly would the Lakers get Ben? They’d have to find a taker for RWB, which seems next to impossible at this moment
Yes, Westbrook would be involved. But Philly will save some in the short term and a lot in the long term.
Exactly
Westbrook trade for Eastbrook
You are a brick, so am I
Best way to tank is to trade for Westbrook and play him 35+ minutes per game with Maxey or Curry… guaranteed to lose a ton of games.
December 15 is Christmas for the Sixers.
Since they’re 7-2 with Embiid and 1-5 without him, it’s easy to see why they’ve lost 5 straight. It’s not the reality of the team, it’s Embiid’s absence.
What an asinine statement. They started losing when like half the starters got covid. Were you actually paying attention to the team or were you distracted by a bumblebee
How on earth would the Lakers take on both Ben Simmons’ and Tobias Harris’ contracts? Are Lebron and Anthony Davis going back to the Sixers in this deal?
He did mention a third team and didn’t state that the lakers would actually get Harris.
Dude the team is Covid ridden.
You realize that they lost 5 games with most of their good players in COVID protocols and still almost beat the Bucks.
No SIXERS PHAN will EVER be okay with TANKING while JOJO is still playing!! They play with HEART EVERY GAME!! We will NOT be giving BIZZY BIAS for PENNIES ON THE DOLLAR or ANYTHING!! He is PART of our TEAM!! We will see who’s LAUGHING at the end of this LONG SEASON which JUST STARTED!! When we get our GUYS back.. WATCH OUT!!
Good points
Missing a star player, 76ers had a hot start
Look at Lakers and Clippers
Rich Paul is a scumbag
Hello..
i’m going to see Ghostbusters: Afterlife in 2 hourse
#FreeBenSimmons
holy crap. why wont sixers just trade Simmons and move on. they could legit trade him to the Spurs and get Murray whos doing great and fits their team
Don’t think the Spurs would give Murray for Simmons. Pops like developing players with good attitudes. Simmons doesn’t fit there.
Actually, Simmons would very much fit in a Pops system. Not sure they’d want to move Murray for him, but he’d fit in well. In fact, you pair Simmons with Murray on the perimeter and you probably have the best perimeter defense in the NBA.
Whatever exec is impressed by PHI hot start shouldn’t have a job in the league, every year bad teams start hot & good teams cold, this PHI team with all the team healthy & hot but without Ben is got a ceiling of a R1EC, so who cares about supposed hot stars, anyway PHI right now isn’t even in the playoffs, so hot, right?
Might want to check the standings there Don. Right now Philly is tied for 7th, despite losing 5 straight. So not a lock for the playoffs, but still a play-in team.
15 games in and prediction time,laughable.Friend sixers when finally healthy will be top 3.
You’re just a sixers lover dude.
It all depends on how many games Embiid plays. They need him to play more than half the season, then they could finish in the top 3.
Have Morey loan Ben to China!
Missing Ben and off to good start. Tells me he shouldn’t be playing PG. It’s that simple. Sixers get a real PG put Ben on wing with Tobias. They are a much better team. Ben only needs to get his FT % at .75% or better.
But I guess we are way beyond this. Morey should be fired. I would’ve traded him at Draft.
Ben >>>>>>> to Nets
Kyrie >>>>>>>> to Sixers
Simmons to the Thunder for Dortz and a bevy of picks. Ben teams up with fellow Aussie Giddy, Dortz grows under Rivers.
The Thunder is where Simmons needs to go. They have all the picks and some good young players too. No way they use all those picks.