76ers' Joel Embiid diagnosed with appendicitis, will undergo surgery

Trey Lyles underwent the same procedure in mid-July 2020 when he was a member of the Spurs and wasn’t able to play before the end of San Antonio’s season on August 13. OG Anunoby is another player who underwent an appendectomy that ended his season, though Anunoby, who had his procedure on April 12, 2019, probably could’ve suited up later in the Raptors’ championship run that year if they’d needed him.

The upshot is that Embiid’s regular season is certainly over and — barring a very rapid recovery — he likely won’t be available for any play-in or first-round playoff games, so Philadelphia will have to try to extend its season without one of its top players in order to give him a chance to return this spring.

It’s a disappointing turn of events for a team that has looked dangerous when its best players — Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George — are all available. Unfortunately, that hasn’t happened as often as the Sixers have hoped. Embiid has been limited to 38 appearances due to various health issues, while George, who has battled some injuries and served a 25-game suspension for violating the NBA’s drug policy, has played 34 games.

The Sixers rank eighth in the East with a 43-36 record. They’re within a game-and-a-half of the No. 5 Hawks but only have a half-game lead on the No. 9 Hornets. They have a tough game in Houston on Thursday before finishing their season with more favorable matchups in Indiana (Friday) and vs. Milwaukee (Sunday).

As for Embiid, the 32-year-old has averaged 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 31.6 minutes per game this season, with a .489/.333/.854 shooting line. He’ll earn guaranteed salaries of $59.5M in 2026-27 and $64.3M in 2027-28, with a $69.1M player option for 2028-29.