Joel Embiid

Sixers Notes: Embiid, Edgecombe, Maxey, Backup Centers

October 1st, 2025 at 8:06pm CST by Arthur Hill

As always, the Sixers‘ prospects will hinge on the availability of star center Joel Embiid, and coach Nick Nurse sees reasons to be encouraged through the first few days of training camp. Before his team opens the preseason Thursday in Abu Dhabi, Nurse discussed Embiid’s progress and other topics with PHLY Sports (YouTube link, hat tip to ClutchPoints).

“I think the encouraging things are some of the stuff that he’s said that he looks good, right? He’s feeling pretty good,” Nurse said. “He’s got some boxes to tick to get, you know, keep it going, but it looks more encouraging. You know, I think he said he feels a lot better this year at this time of year than he did a year ago. So, that’s got to be a positive step in the right direction. We’re looking forward to getting him back with the group.”

Recurring issues with his surgically repaired left knee limited Embiid to 19 games last season before he was shut down in February. He talked recently about the need to be on the court much more frequently to avoid a repeat of last season’s disaster (Twitter video link).

“Last year, I kind of felt the pressure from the start that we had,” Embiid said. “I was not close to where I wanted to be but I felt like I had to something because I care so much about these guys. I think that’s what it comes down to. Seeing us succeed, the wins adding up.”

There’s more on the Sixers:

After loading up on veterans last season, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey made an effort to build a younger and more athletic roster over the summer, per Yaron Weitzman of The Ringer. That plan included holding onto the No. 3 pick in the draft, which was used to select VJ Edgecombe, instead of trading it for more immediate help. “We have really good young guys, and they have this open happiness and this spirit that’s just a pureness,” Kyle Lowry said. “They love basketball, they want to work, they get into the gym early, they listen to the coaches.”
Edgecombe changed his conditioning habits to prepare for his first NBA season and added 10 pounds of muscle during the summer, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. Fans who watched Edgecombe at Baylor will notice a difference in his three-point shot. “I had a flat shot in college,” he said. “So now my arc was way better than a month ago, or maybe three weeks ago. My arc is way better, and it’s more consistent. It’s crazy now. It’s rare for me to shoot flat. I know when any shot is flat now.”
Tyrese Maxey is focused on becoming a team leader in his sixth NBA season, Pompey adds in a separate story. He was often the number one scoring option last season due to injuries to Embiid and Paul George, and he’s ready to embrace the responsibilities that go along with that role. “I remember the end of my fourth year, maybe, I remember Joel kind of pulling me to the side, telling me my voice is going to be needed,” Maxey said. “You know, people just see how hard I work, see how much I care about winning, how much I care about the franchise. And, you know, Joel is a more reserved guy. Of course he is talented on the court. That’s what he does. But he was just telling me that’s a way for me to step up and lead and be vocal.”
In another piece, Pompey profiles the battle for the backup center spot, with newcomers Johni Broome, Jabari Walker and Dominick Barlow joining holdovers Andre Drummond and Adem Bona.

Sixers Notes: Grimes, Embiid, George, Watford, Edgecombe

September 27th, 2025 at 6:14pm CST by Arthur Hill

Sixers guard Quentin Grimes has the support of star center Joel Embiid in his ongoing contract standoff with the team, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer (subscription required). Following Saturday’s practice, reporters asked Embiid for his stance on Grimes, who remains away from the team while trying to work out a new deal and isn’t expected to be part of an upcoming trip to Abu Dhabi.

“As players, this is a business. You gotta do what you gotta do as an individual to take care of yourself and your family,” Embiid said. “So just like it happened the last couple of times I’ve been here, it’s the same thing. I don’t blame anybody. I think we’re here with what we have, and I also don’t blame those guys who wanted to take care of themselves. That’s the right play. That’s what I would do if I was in that situation, too.”

Agent David Bauman claimed the Sixers made their first formal offer on Wednesday at $39MM over four years, which is far less than the restricted free agent is seeking. A source familiar with the negotiations told Pompey on Saturday that the reported amount wasn’t an actual offer and the two sides aren’t close to reaching a deal.

Pompey believes Grimes and the Sixers are headed toward a one-year agreement, whether that involves accepting an $8.7MM qualifying offer by Wednesday’s deadline or potentially a higher offer from the team if Grimes is willing to waive a no-trade clause.

There’s more from Philadelphia:

Sixers officials were encouraged by Embiid’s performance Saturday morning in his first workout of training camp, Pompey adds. The former MVP, who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April and was limited to 19 games last season, was able to compete with few limitations. “Everything from the start was live. He was in there participating in that stuff,” coach Nick Nurse said. “He didn’t do everything, but he did do quite a bit. He was moving good and playing hard, and he had great spirit out there today.”
According to Pompey, the only players who weren’t able to take part in today’s practice were Paul George and Trendon Watford, who both did individual sessions on the court. George is still recovering from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in July, while Watford is day to day with tightness in his right hamstring.
Veteran center Andre Drummond thinks the Sixers have something special in rookie guard VJ Edgecombe, per Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (Twitter link). Drummond said Edgecombe peppered him with a lot of questions the first time they met. “The first day I saw VJ, I was instantly impressed,” Drummond said. “My favorite thing about him is his confidence.”

Sixers Notes: George, Embiid, Grimes, Edgecombe

September 26th, 2025 at 6:00pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Sixers are already starting training camp without prized sophomore Jared McCain, who recently sustained a torn thumb ligament, and it looks like they will also be without star wing Paul George, according to The Athletic’s Tony Jones (subscriber link). George told reporters at Philadelphia’s media day on Friday that he won’t be a full participant in camp.

Jones writes that George is still working his way back from the knee injury that required surgery in June, though he is apparently reaching the final stages of his recovery process. According to George, he has done almost everything except for full-contact gameplay, and the next few weeks will be critical for understanding his timeline.

“I’m feeling stronger and stronger,” George said. “I feel a lot better now than I did at this point last year.”

When it comes to his on-court outlook, George has said that he’s “very comfortable playing at the four spot this year,” according to Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports (via Twitter).

That willingness to play power forward could be important for a team light on that position in the depth chart. Outside of George, the team only has Trendon Watford and two-way player Jabari Walker to man the four. George notes that the ball-handling and play-making he brings could be very valuable at the power forward position.

We have more from the Sixers:

Joel Embiid is feeling “pretty good” as he works to return from his knee injury, but there is still no specific timeline for his return, as Jeff Borzello for ESPN and Sports Illustrated’s Chris Mannix write. “Obviously the goal is to play consistently and not be the position that we were last year.” Embiid said. “… I want to play every single game. I’ve been pretty unlucky when it comes to that compared to most NBA players. When you get to the point where I was last year where it was so unpredictable, it sucks. It is mentally draining.” When it comes to managing Embiid’s health, president Daryl Morey said, “The doctors’ advice, what Joel said on listening to his body, which is a big component on how doctors manage injuries — that’s going to be what carries the day this year.”
Despite the public reports of a significant gap in negotiations between the Sixers and restricted free agent Quentin Grimes, Morey said he’s feeling optimistic about the partnership, Borzello writes. “I think we will get to a resolution in the next few days, hopefully,” Morey said. “But we’re excited to bring him back. He’s a big part of what we’re trying to do, now and into the future, if we can get things resolved.”
Sixers head coach Nick Nurse indicated that No. 3 overall pick VJ Edgecombe will get a chance to play a role for the team as a rookie, per Derek Bodner of PHLY Sports (via Twitter). “I think success for him this year is minutes. How many minutes did he play? Because we need to let him play through the ups and downs,” Nurse said, adding that Edgecombe has been working hard on his shooting since being drafted. With McCain set to miss the beginning of the season, Edgecombe will have a chance to earn some playing time early on. Capitalizing on that opportunity could be an important part of his season’s trajectory.

Rockets Notes: Eason, Durant, Playing Time, Owens, Sengun

September 10th, 2025 at 9:55am CST by Dana Gauruder

Many people around the league believe the Rockets will work out a long-term extension with Tari Eason before finalizing a new deal with Kevin Durant, according to William Guillory of The Athletic.

ESPN’s Brian Windhorst recently reported that Durant and the Rockets are expected to reach an extension agreement at some point.

Eason has an expiring contract — the Rockets exercised a $5.68MM club option on the final year of his rookie deal for 2025/26. The fourth-year forward averaged a career-high 12.0 points and 1.7 steals per game while making 57 appearances last season.

Here’s more on the Rockets:

In the same story, Guillory opines about a pleasant dilemma: Does Houston have too many good players? Guillory believes coach Ime Udoka will have a difficult time figuring out how to divvy up minutes among so many players capable of heavy minutes on a good team.
Mark Owens, a Houston-area boxing trainer, has become a vital asset to the Rockets — the team’s director of performance, Willie Cruz, describes Owens as “an extension of our strength coaches.” Danielle Lerner of the Houston Chronicle (subscription required) profiles how Owens, who served a federal prison term, turned his life around and helped the Rockets become one of the more physical teams in the league.
Former Sixers forward Furkan Korkmaz is playing alongside Rockets center Alperen Sengun for Turkey in the EuroBasket tournament. Korkmaz called Sengun, not Joel Embiid, the best center he’s played with in his career. “He’s a special kid and every day he’s trying to give his maximum,” he said in a video posted by Eurohoops Turkey.

Atlantic Notes: Andonian, Sixers, Knicks

August 19th, 2025 at 7:46pm CST by Dana Gauruder

Ariana Andonian will be named the general manager of the Sixers‘ NBA G League affiliate, the Delaware Blue Coats, Michael Scotto of HoopsHype tweets.

Andonian is already the Sixers’ VP of player personnel, a position she has held since last September. She was previously the Grizzlies’ director of player personnel and a scouting coordinator for the Rockets. She graduated from USC in 2015 and received her MBA from Duke in 2020.

We have more from the Atlantic Division:

How can the Sixers regain relevance in the Eastern Conference chase? According to Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes, they must treat oft-injured stars Joel Embiid and Paul George with kid gloves. He suggests plenty of load management, including no back-to-backs for either one and even some road trip “vacations.” Hayes calculates there should be at least 17 games in which neither is available and believes both of them should play sparingly until around the trade deadline.
The Knicks won’t begin training camp until Sept. 24 but The Athletic’s James Edwards III offers up his depth chart surprises, rotations and starting lineup changes. Edwards believes Mitchell Robinson should start in the middle with Josh Hart serving as the sixth man. Edwards rounds out the second unit with Jordan Clarkson, Miles McBride, Guerschon Yabusele and Ariel Hukporti.
In case you missed it, the Raptors are making general manager Bobby Webster their full-time head of basketball operations. Get all the details here.

Sixers Unsure About Joel Embiid’s Status For Start Of Training Camp

August 15th, 2025 at 10:30am CST by Arthur Hill

With training camp about six weeks away, the Sixers aren’t certain if Joel Embiid will be ready to participate. Head coach Nick Nurse discussed the health status of his star center and the team’s misfortunes from last season in an interview with Brian T. Smith of TalkSport.

Speaking Tuesday at the NBA’s Basketball Without Borders Europe camp in Manchester, England, Nurse said he’s “not sure” if Embiid will be cleared to participate when camp begins next month. However, he added an encouraging spin by saying “all the news is positive” so far.

“I know he’s working very, very hard and I think things look good,” Nurse said. “Whether he’s ready for training camp or not, I think there’s maybe a lot more decisions than that to make before we get there. But our main thing is that he’s healthy to play and play to his nearest capabilities, because he’s awesome, no doubt about that.”

Embiid hasn’t come close to playing a full season since winning MVP honors in 2023. He was limited to 39 games in 2023/24 before having meniscus surgery on his left knee and appeared in just 19 games last season before being shut down in February due to lingering concerns about the knee. He underwent arthroscopic surgery in April.

Nurse’s comments represent the first health update on Embiid since president of basketball operations Daryl Morey said following the draft that he was on track for recovery “right around” the start of camp. Regardless of the condition of his knee by then, the Sixers will be cautious with Embiid and try to gradually prepare him for the season opener.

“When he’s on the floor and any night he’s out there, we’ve got a chance to win, which is amazing,” Nurse said. “We just want to make sure and get him healthy and let him play for a longer period of time.”

Philadelphia plummeted without Embiid available, winning just 24 games after being viewed as a potential title contender when the season began. In addition to Embiid’s injury woes, the team got just 41 games out of Paul George and 52 from Tyrese Maxey. Injuries affected the Sixers throughout their roster, and they spent the last few weeks of the season using a makeshift lineup as losses piled up.

Nurse called it “a really unfortunate season,” but there’s renewed optimism related to better health for the team’s star players and the addition of VJ Edgecombe with the third pick in this year’s draft.

“It was almost four, five, six guys every night,” Nurse said of last season’s injuries. “We just never could get any continuity. We used an incredible 40 different players last year. So let’s put that in the rear-view mirror a little bit. Listen, those guys get healthy. They’re great players, and we get some better health this year. We’ll be right back in the mix and that’s what we’re looking to do.”

Atlantic Notes: Bridges, Hansen, Knicks Summer League, Embiid

July 18th, 2025 at 9:01pm CST by Eli Cohen

The Knicks and Mikal Bridges have yet to agree to an extension. There’s a chance the team has an ulterior motive for putting off a new deal, according to SNY’s Ian Begley (video link).

While it’s likely not the only factor, Begley believes the lingering uncertainty surrounding Giannis Antetokounmpo‘s status regarding his future with the Bucks may be playing a part in the lack of movement on a deal between the Knicks and Bridges.

“With the Knicks and all the other teams kind of keeping an eye on Milwaukee and what may or may not happen there, I think one of the reasons why he has not been extended yet is because once you extend him, you cannot trade him for six months, Begley said on an episode of The Putback. “I think that’s why you haven’t seen Bridges extended yet. When he does extend, I think that would tell you Giannis is put to bed, is off the table in a sense.”

The Knicks’ potential interest in the two-time MVP has been well documented. While the offseason noise surrounding Antetokounmpo has quieted since the acquisition of Myles Turner and the departure of Damian Lillard, the matter might not be closed yet.

We have more from around the Atlantic division:

According to Nets Daily (via Twitter), the general manager of the Qingdao Eagles stated that Yang Hansen had a promise from the Nets if he fell to No. 19 in the 2025 draft. Danny Marang of 1080 The Fan tweets that the Trail Blazers were unwilling to trade further down than No. 16 due to Hansen’s stock rising in the lead-up to the draft. The Blazers ultimately traded from 11th to 16th overall to select the former Eagles center.
The Knicks have posted a 1-3 Summer League record with a mixed bag of performances, even from their rostered players, writes James L. Edwards III of The Athletic. Tyler Kolek shook off a brutal start to display some self-creation flashes, but overall was too loose with the ball for someone billed as a floor general, says Edwards. Pacome Dadiet and Kevin McCullar‘s shooting struggles continued, but both were effective getting to the rim. The standout on the team was the team’s second-round draft pick, Mohamed Diawara, who showed an interesting set of ball skills and physical tools and may have played his way into conversations surrounding a two-way contract.
The recent Joel Embiid feature from ESPN revealed the lack of trust Embiid has in the Sixers organization when it comes to his health, writes The Philadelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey (subscription required), who also took the article as a sign that regardless of what the team wants, he will only return from his injury rehab when he’s ready. Pompey adds that the article suggested the team’s culture and lack of top-down cohesiveness under Sam Hinkie hasn’t significantly improved and that for Daryl Morey and the organization to restore the faith of fans, only winning will help.

Eastern Notes: Sexton, Holland, Anthony, Embiid, Bassey

July 17th, 2025 at 9:09pm CST by Luke Adams

In a wide-ranging interview with Roderick Boone of The Charlotte Observer (subscription required), Hornets head coach Charles Lee spoke about the offseason additions to the roster, why he’s comfortable with the team’s frontcourt options, and how he expects LaMelo Ball to take another step forward as a leader next season, among other topics.

Discussing newly acquired veteran guard Collin Sexton, Lee suggested that the 26-year-old’s “fearlessness” and “competitiveness” are traits that stand out and joked that he’ll be expecting different treatment from Sexton during games now that they’re on the same side.

“From afar, he was very competitive. At times he would stare me down during games as the opposing coach or scout coach, and he’s always looking for some fuel to get him going,” Lee said. “So, when he first got here, I made sure to remind them of that, ‘Like, don’t be looking at me crazy like that anymore or your minutes are going to suffer now.’ But it’s great. I’m so glad to have him on our side.

“… I already appreciate so much of what he’s kind of giving to our group,” Lee continued. “Seeing him do group workouts with Melo, them having conversations, I just think is really important for our group to continue to grow. And he’s going to be a big part of that with his work ethic and then also with his competitiveness.”

Here’s more from around the Eastern Conference:

While Ron Holland has been impressive all around for the Pistons during Summer League play, with averages of 21.7 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.0 steals per game in three outings, his three-point shooting has perhaps been the most encouraging part of his performance, writes Omari Sankofa II of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required). It’s a small sample, but Holland has knocked down 7-of-15 threes (46.7%) after making just 23.8% as a rookie. “I feel like me and Freddie V have been in the gym, for sure,” Holland said on Sunday, referring to Pistons assistant coach and shooting guru Fred Vinson. “There’s no secret behind that.” Shawn Windsor of The Detroit Free Press (subscription required) also weighs in on Holland’s strong Summer League play, suggesting that the Pistons should be very encouraged by what he has shown.
Cole Anthony‘s new one-year contract with the Bucks is worth the veteran’s minimum, Hoops Rumors has confirmed. Anthony will earn $2,667,947 on the deal, while Milwaukee carries a cap hit of $2,296,274.
In a fascinating, in-depth feature, Dotun Akintoye of ESPN gets some candid comments out of Sixers star Joel Embiid, who discussed the media narratives that have followed him around, his altercation with local columnist Marcus Hayes, and his (successful) quest to find out who leaked details about a team meeting last fall, among many other topics.
Big man Charles Bassey has left the Celtics‘ Summer League team, as Souichi Terada of MassLive.com relays. Bassey’s deal with Boston only covered three games in Las Vegas, as he had other summer commitments. The former San Antonio center – who doesn’t yet have a contract in place for 2025/26 – performed well in Vegas, averaging a double-double (15.3 PPG, 11.0 RPG) and shooting 70.4% from the field.

Sixers Notes: Morey, Embiid, Grimes, Yabusele, Edwards

July 12th, 2025 at 12:03pm CST by Rory Maher

After making the playoffs for seven straight years, the Sixers bottomed out in 2024/25 amid injuries to several key players, going just 24-58. With a little luck in the draft lottery, Philadelphia kept its protected first-round pick and moved up to No. 3, selecting former Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe.

As challenging as last season was, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey thinks the 76ers have an opportunity to make a significant move up the Eastern Conference standings in ’25/26 due to major injuries to star players and roster changes to rival teams, writes Tony Jones of The Athletic.

“I do think it’s open in the East,” Morey said in an extensive interview with select media from the Las Vegas Summer League. “I do think that’s a fair characterization. I do, obviously, think that we weren’t the only team that’s unfortunately gone through a lot of tough injuries. That’s opened some things up. But we’re going to have to prove that we’re with those upper-echelon teams in the East. But we do feel like if all things come together, we can be right there, and we’ve given ourselves a lot of flexibility to upgrade the team during the year, if things are going as well as we hope.”

Here’s more on the Sixers:

While Morey says star center Joel Embiid is “on track” to be ready for the start of training camp, league sources tell Jones that the 31-year-old big man has not yet resumed on-court basketball activities. Still, Morey and the rest of the front office are optimistic that Embiid will be ready to suit up for the regular season opener.
In his same session with reporters, including Jones, Morey seemed to confirm that Philadelphia offered Guerschon Yabusele a contract above the minimum using his Non-Bird rights, as our Luke Adams had previously speculated. Yabusele wound up signing a two-year deal with New York for part of the mid-level exception. Morey suggested the 76ers didn’t want to hard-cap themselves by using any portion of their taxpayer MLE before Quentin Grimes‘ restricted free agency is resolved.
“Yeah, that sucked,” Morey said of losing Yabusele. “We offered Guerschon the most that we could that wouldn’t limit us and our ability to retain Quentin. That was above the minimum. I’ve seen reports saying that we only offered the minimum, and that wasn’t true. But it was definitely below what he ended up getting. We knew it would create a challenge for us. So we wanted to retain Quentin. We hope to work that out with his representation, and our focus was on making sure that happens. So, that did impact what we could offer Guerschon.”
Philadelphia native Justin Edwards was one of the bright spots for the Sixers last season. After a solid rookie campaign, he re-signed with his hometown team on a new three-year deal. “I definitely think this has been a full-circle moment for me, playing in the place I grew up in,” Edwards told Jones of The Athletic. “What I want to do is continue to grow my game and to keep getting better. I want to be in the Rising Stars game next season.”

Sixers’ Morey Discusses Embiid’s Recovery, Edgecombe Pick

June 26th, 2025 at 6:41am CST by Luke Adams

Speaking to reporters on Wednesday evening after using the No. 3 overall pick to select Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe, Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey provided a positive update on star center Joel Embiid, writes Dan Gelston of The Associated Press.

According to Gelston, Morey indicated that Embiid – who underwent arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April – is on track to be recovered “right around” the time training camp opens in late September, suggesting the team is encouraged by the big man’s recovery progress so far.

“He’s very engaged, attacking rehab,” Morey said. “Doing everything he can to be out there. He had a meeting with (the surgeon) this week. All things, to use a NASA term, are nominal. Things are going well and expected and we expect that to continue.”

Embiid’s left knee has been an issue since midway through the 2023/24 season, when he underwent surgery to address a meniscus injury. He was able to return that spring and played in the Olympics during the summer, but he continued to deal with swelling in the knee in the fall. The injury delayed his season debut until November 12 and prevented him from ever getting fully comfortable during the ’24/25 campaign.

Here are a few more highlights from Morey’s media session:

The Sixers already have rising star Tyrese Maxey, promising 2024 first-rounder Jared McCain, and restricted free agent Quentin Grimes in their backcourt, but didn’t hesitate to add another young guard to the mix on Wednesday when they drafted Edgecombe. “I think we now have one of the best backcourts in the league,” Morey said, per Tony Jones of The Athletic. “When you look at some of these teams that are successful, they all have multiple guards.”
While Edgecombe’s athleticism and defense figure to get him on the court in his rookie year, he intends to do all he can to help out the Sixers’ stars on the offensive end of the court too, as Jones relays. “I’m really focused on trying to shoot the ball at a high level,” Edgecombe said on Wednesday. “My job is going to be trying to release pressure on Joel, Paul (George), and Tyrese.”
Here’s more from Morey on Edgecombe, per Jones: “We’re super excited about V.J. and that we got the chance to draft him. He’s a dynamic athlete. We think he’s one of the best athletes in the draft. We think he has a chance to be a potential All-Star, and he’s going to be a two-way player coming into the league. He has a lot of winning qualities, and we think he is going to be a really good fit. We think he is going to be a great teammate.”
Edgecombe appeared to become the favorite for the No. 3 pick after Ace Bailey cancelled a scheduled workout with the Sixers, but Morey said on Wednesday that Bailey’s refusal to work out for Philadelphia didn’t factor into the club’s draft decision, tweets Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice.

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