Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid. Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Multiple bleak updates about 76ers' Joel Embiid emerge

By Adam Taylor | Last updated Sep 26, 2025 4:52 PM ET

Just 24 hours after learning of Jared McCain's torn UCL in his right thumb, Daryl Morey has provided a bleak update on Joel Embiid's recovery. The Philadelphia 76ers' former MVP underwent a second surgery on his meniscus earlier this summer.

Morey's comments were made during a news conference on September 26. He noted that Embiid is still in the recovery phase, and then declined to provide a timeline for the veteran center's return to the rotation.

"This is straight from the doctors. We're not getting into the expectations game...The doctor's advice, and what Joel said on listening to his body, which is a big component, and how the doctors manage injuries, that's going to be what carries the day this year."

Morey's evasive comments won't appease a disillusioned fan base. Sixers fans haven't seen their star player at his best in almost two years. Last season, they witnessed their team free-fall out of playoff contention and land in the lottery.

Sixers 'don't know' when Joel Embiid will play

ESPN's Shams Charania has shed additional light on the Sixers' current plight regarding Embiid.

"My understanding is even the Philadelphia 76ers don't know exactly when Joel Embiid is going to play, when he's not gonna be playing," Charania said on a Sept. 26 episode of ESPN's NBA Today. "...The reality is his knee issues have been debilitating, and he's essentially going to have to master learning how to play through issues and pain thresholds on any given day...They have their first day of training camp practice tomorrow. Let's see how much, if at all, Joel Embiid participates."

Daryl Morey has declined to set a timeline for Joel Embiid's return, plans to follow the doctors advice

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— Legion Hoops (@LegionHoops) September 26, 2025

Without Joel Embiid, the Sixers can't compete

The Sixers' entire roster has been built around Embiid's skill set. They're designed to feed off his gravity and elevate what he brings to the floor. Without him in the rotation, Nick Nurse has to deploy a totally different offensive system, which, while solid, is far from optimal.

To make matters even worse, the Sixers will likely be without All-Star forward Paul George to begin the season, too. He underwent surgery earlier this summer and will likely continue to rehab over the opening weeks or months.

The Sixers' roster is supposed to be good enough to contend for a championship. However, if George and Embiid can't get healthy and remain in the rotation for the entire season, Morey could find himself making another lottery pick in the 2026 NBA Draft.

Adam Taylor

Adam Taylor is a sports journalist based out of the UK. Adam has been covering the NBA for nearly a decade with a core focus on the Boston Celtics. He currently holds bylines with Yardbarker, SB Nation and USA Today

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