Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid will not rush himself back after knee surgery ahead of the 2025-26 season. This has prompted reactions from a lot of people, including Chris Broussard, who made honest admissions.
As one of the NBA’s most talented players, Joel Embiid has a significant presence in the league. Unfortunately, he has been away from the spotlight due to the latest injury to his knee. It has been heartbreaking for the Philadelphia 76ers and their fans, as they do not want their superstar sidelined.
Embiid has always been a unique talent who has all the potential in the world. Unfortunately, injuries always hamper his potential to succeed. Many analysts in the media have criticized Embiid and his health. This includes Chris Broussard, who has spoken about Embiid’s unreliability as a star player.
Throughout the past decade, Embiid and Kawhi Leonard have been two of the league’s best players. Unfortunately, they are also quite unlucky due to the injuries they have suffered. Of course, Leonard still has two championships to his name, but Embiid is not so lucky.
The 2023 MVP has dealt with multiple injuries throughout his career, including the latest knee injury. He had to undergo surgery for it, which has led to a harsh reality check for him. The 76ers want him to be healthy, but he seems to face setbacks year after year.
That has led people like Broussard to feel like Embiid’s career won’t have the big highlights anymore. It would be a shame if that happened, as the 76ers’ center is one of their generation’s best players.
“To me, Joel Embiid is in the Kawhi Leonard class, where I don’t expect anything. I hate to even say this: I feel like he’s gonna play 30-something games, be great in those 30-something games, but that’s about it,” Broussard said about Embiid on First Things First on FS1.
“I don’t expect anything anymore from him. It’s not solely his fault, it’s the injuries, but I don’t think he’ll ever get healthy.”
The expectations are for Embiid to be healthy by the start of the 2025-26 season. That is encouraging news for the 76ers, as they need him healthy and raring to go. The 76ers want to capitalize on not having the Boston Celtics and the Indiana Pacers getting in their way. Those two teams are also facing an injury crisis with their superstars suffering Achilles tears.
This 76ers team is playing with intense motivation. Embiid wants to prove he is still an MVP-level player. The same goes for Paul George, who had a horrible 2024-25 season. Jared McCain also wants to play better, after missing out on a Rookie of the Year campaign due to injuries.
Philadelphia is due for a big campaign, as they have all their players healthy. Of course, the 76ers must manage Embiid’s minutes well, as they do not want him to re-aggravate his injuries. He has the talent, but the team must manage him well, especially with his bum knee.
As long as Embiid can stay healthy and productive, this 76ers team could be dangerous. They have the talent and coaching to succeed under Nick Nurse. If the 76ers can pull it off, they should be contenders in the shorthanded Eastern Conference.
