February 05, 2024

How long will Joel Embiid be sidelined?

What timetable is Joel Embiid working with as he undergoes a meniscus procedure on his left knee? PhillyVoice spoke with an orthopedic surgeon about the situation.

By Shamus Clancy
PhillyVoice Staff

Trevor Ruszkowski/USA Today Sports

What's next for Joel Embiid with a meniscus procedure on the way?

Nothing stays gold in the Sixers' world.

With Joel Embiid putting up numbers that even top his MVP performance from last season, injuries yet again piled up for the big man and a meniscus injury this past Tuesday against Golden State will have him undergoing a procedure on his left knee.

Sitting at 30-18 and fifth in the Eastern Conference standings with 34 games remaining, the Sixers are in a difficult spot with Embiid's injury situation. Diagnosed with a displaced flap of the meniscus in his left knee, Embiid will be sidelined for the immediate future, but just how long? Will he battle through injuries once more? Is he done for the year with eyes turned to next year already? It's been a recurring theme of Embiid's tenure and it stings with the East as wide open as ever.

What timetable could Embiid be looking at?

PhillyVoice spoke with Dr. Dinesh Dhanaraj, an orthopedic surgeon at St. Mary Medical Center about Embiid's potential recovery time.

"Sometimes they do what's called a partial meniscectomy where it's a debridement and you trim the meniscus down," Dr. Dhanaraj said. "It could still be a partial meniscectomy where they just shave that 'flap' down. That's a quicker recovery and could be three to four weeks."

That would be a positive in the short term for the Sixers. What is a longer term prognosis?

"If It's a bigger flap though," Dr. Dhanaraj continued, "He may be better off with the repair, which takes two to four months of recovery time with three months being a sweet spot."

That would, naturally, be a season-ending scenario for Embiid, Dr. Dhanaraj noted.

With the trade deadline just days away this upcoming Thursday, the Sixers are faced with a decision whether they want to push their chips in the middle of the table and bring in reinforcements for a playoff run with Tyrese Maxey with Embiid continuing to be a variable. It's an unenviable position and the latest in a string of "almosts" and "what ifs" for this organization.