July 11, 2015
If you were wondering how first-round pick Jahlil Okafor would fit on a roster with fellow seven-foot center Joel Embiid, you can't stop. At least for now.
According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Sixers top pick in the 2014 draft will undergo a second surgery on his injured right foot, the same foot that caused him to miss all of what should have been his rookie season.
According to sources,#Sixers center Joel Embiid will have a second surgery and is likely to miss 2015-16 season. http://t.co/vHKWdIi0b0
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) July 11, 2015
Not only is the 2015-16 season in jeopardy, but one of Pompey's sources said the latest setback "could be career-threatening."
Here's more from Pompey:
The 7-footer will have a second surgery after the latest setback in the healing of his right foot, according to several NBA sources. The team will decide whether to have it in North Carolina or at the New York Hospital of Special Surgery.
“I would say there’s a great possibility that Embiid won’t play next year,” the source said. “Just think how long they sat him when they thought he was healthy.”
The Sixers are planning as if Embiid won’t play this season, sources say. Another source said the franchise is concerned that this setback could be career-threatening.
The Sixers are expected to release a statement about Embiid’s immediate future. It could come as early as next week. [philly.com]
Last month, the Sixers announced that Embiid suffered a setback in his recovery from last June's surgery to repair a stress fracture in his right foot, the same kind of injury that forced Yao Ming into early retirement in 2011. However, as recently as Thursday, general manager Sam Hinkie said the team was still discussing their center's status and was not ready to make a final decision on his status for the upcoming season.
"We're still meeting with a lot of specialists and doctors to try and determine what's best for Joel," Hinkie said on CSN during the Sixers-Jazz game Thursday. "He's somebody we have very high hopes for, but we're trying to get his health just right. It's about the only thing that matters at the end of the day — the health of your best players — and it's something that's really important to us, so we're taking our time."
But now, it appears a decision has been made. Embiid will have the surgery and Sixers fans' worst fears are becoming a reality.
Stay tuned for any updates...
