Philadelphia 76ers superstar center Joel Embiid is set to make his season debut next Tuesday against the New York Knicks.
ESPN’s Shams Charania shared the news on NBA Today this week.
“Joel Embiid is ready,” said Charania. “Sources tell me he will make his season debut next Tuesday at home in the Sixers’ NBA Cup opener. He’ll serve his three-game suspension tonight against the Clippers, Friday against the Lakers, and Sunday at home against the Hornets.”
He’s back: Reporting for NBA Countdown on 76ers’ All-NBA star Joel Embiid set to make his season debut on Tuesday vs. the Knicks. pic.twitter.com/V7uBP7mQ6h
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) November 7, 2024
Embiid was involved in an altercation with a Philadelphia columnist in the locker room after the 76ers’ 124-107 loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday night. He is currently serving a three-game suspension.
Read more: 76ers’ Joel Embiid Suspended For Multiple Games After Altercation With Reporter
Embiid is also currently recovering from a left knee injury.
Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images
Embiid revealed the reason he shoved writer Marcus Hayes of The Philadelphia Inquirer was due to an issue in a recent Hayes column.
In the column that got Embiid so upset, Hayes mentioned Embiid’s son and late brother — both named Arthur — while questioning Embiid’s professionalism and effort to stay in shape.
Read more: Joel Embiid Reportedly Attacks Journalist After Philadelphia Falls to 1-4
Embiid didn’t take those words kindly and went so far as to tell Hayes how he truly felt about his words.
“The next time you bring up my dead brother and my son again, you are going to see what I’m going to do to you and I’m going to have to … live with the consequences,” Embiid reportedly said to Hayes.
The 30-year-old has struggled to stay healthy throughout his career, and that was so different last season. In late Jan. 2024, he suffered a left lateral meniscus injury that caused him to miss most of the season.
Embiid’s injury history is quite evident and well-documented. He didn’t play in the first two years of his NBA career due to multiple foot and knee injuries. Embiid didn’t debut until the 2016-17 season and was named to the NBA All-Rookie First Team despite only playing in 31 games.
Although he has been an NBA MVP and First-Team All-NBA in his career, he has yet to play more than 68 games. Nonetheless, Embiid hopes that is all in the past and will look to play as many games as he can in the regular season and be healthy enough to play in all postseason games.
Armed with fellow All-Stars Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, the 76ers have a stacked roster and are expected to make a deep run in the playoffs. Philadelphia has not made the Eastern Conference Finals since 2001.
The Process will be back and ready to wreak havoc soon.
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