Sixers center Joel Embiid has been cleared to suit up on Friday for the team’s preseason finale against Minnesota, league sources tell NBA insider Chris Haynes (Twitter link).
Embiid has been ramping up this fall after undergoing surgery on his knee in the spring. Haynes had reported on Thursday that – while his status for Friday’s preseason game was up in the air – the star center was on track to be available for the start of the regular season next week. Now it appears he’ll see some action before opening night.
Clippers guard Bradley Beal is also expected to play his first game of the preseason on Friday when L.A. faces Golden State, reports Haynes (Twitter link).
Beal played through right knee inflammation in Phoenix in 2024/25 and underwent arthroscopic surgery on that knee after his season ended to address the issue. He was a limited participant in training camp this month and has yet to suit up for a preseason contest, but it sounds like he’s ready to play in his first game as a Clipper.
It’s unclear how many minutes Embiid or Beal will see tonight — the goal will presumably be to get them some reps and to make sure they get through their fall debuts without any setbacks. Assuming that happens, both players should be active when the regular season tips off next week.
Over/Under on Embiid games this season? I will say 30 games.
LoL 30, are you serious. I say at least half. Does 30 include all the playoff games as well?
I give him 50 games. He will not play back to backs. He will play hurt if he has too
mlbnyyfan:
Are the 76ers going to be in the playoffs?
16 back-to-back games chatGPT says “60 games”
And he’ll likely miss more time than that. 50 feels like his max more or less.
If Embiid doesn’t play this year. I give him a medical retirement and cut him. And kick Morey out with him.
Well it sounds like that isn’t happening so…
This is a big bowl of who cares. If I were sixers id keep embiid in a glass case until round 1 of the playoffs if they make it. This way he has plenty of time to be in Pepsi commercials
Lil D MVC aka Uno:
The problem is, they might need him just to make the playoffs.
In the early 80s Bill Walton was another injury prone center when the San Diego Clippers traded for him.
There was one point where he only played on the weekends because he was going to law school in the Bay Area during the week.
The Clippers did not make the playoffs that year.
Yep, but Walton played on the law school’s intramural team. Same league with Wally Walker on the business school team. Fun times.
Trust the process. He’ll play 25 games and they’ll mega-tank around game 50.