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Philadelphia 76ers’ Joel Embiid Hasn’t Returned to Full On-Court Basketball Activities

Originally posted on Dallas Hoops Journal
By Ashish Mathur | Last updated Jul 14, 2025 5:17 PM ET

Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid only played in 19 games last NBA season. He underwent arthroscopic left knee surgery in April after being shut down for the season.

According to NBA reporter Tony Jones of The Athletic, Embiid hasn’t returned to full on-court basketball activities yet.

“It’s been almost a year and a half since the knee injury he suffered at Golden State derailed him for most of the 2024-25 season, and Daryl Morey says Joel Embiid is ‘on track’ to be healthy for training camp, the start of the preseason and the start of the regular season,” Jones wrote.

“League sources tell The Athletic that Embiid still hasn’t returned to full on-court basketball activities. He has resumed partial basketball activities, according to the league sources. In light of this, Morey and the front office remain optimistic that Embiid will be on the floor for the season opener.”

Embiid averaged 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, 4.5 assists and 0.9 blocks last season while shooting 44.4% from the floor, 29.9% from beyond the arc and 88.2% from the free-throw line. The Sixers missed the playoffs despite having Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey.

Philadelphia signed Embiid to a massive three-year, $192 million extension in September 2024. Embiid, 31, is owed $248.1 million over the next four seasons.

A Kansas product, Embiid has career averages of 27.7 points, 11.0 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 1.6 blocks. He’s made seven All-Star teams, five All-NBA teams and three All-Defensive teams with the Sixers.

Philadelphia drafted Embiid in 2014. Embiid, the 2023 MVP, missed the first two years of his career due to injuries. The center is a two-time scoring champion.

The Sixers have never advanced past the second round of the postseason in the Embiid era. Embiid has played with Ben Simmons, Jimmy Butler, James Harden, George and Maxey.

According to NBA insider Brian Windhorst of ESPN, Embiid was furious that details of a team meeting in which Sixers players called him out leaked to the public.

The team meeting took place last season in November in Miami.

“There was the team meeting in Miami in November in which fellow players called him out for his lack of professionalism, including comments from star teammate Tyrese Maxey, who specifically pointed to Embiid’s tardiness to team events,” Windhorst wrote.

“While he has since patched up any lingering tension with Maxey, Embiid was angry that details of the meeting became public, sources said, and attempted to identify a possible leak.”