February 27, 2024

Report: There's 'hope' Joel Embiid will return by late March

When will Joel Embiid return form injury? A new report states that the Sixers 'hope' he can be back by late March.

By Shamus Clancy
PhillyVoice Staff

Joel-Embiid-Sixers-Injury-Update-Warm-Ups

Neville E. Guard/USA Today Sports

There is reportedly hope on the Sixers' part that reigning MVP Joel Embiid will return to play by late March.

The Sixers are 4-7 in their last 11 games. At 33-24, they're currently treading water in the Eastern Conference playoff race until reigning MVP Joel Embiid recovers from another knee injury.

When, or even if, Embiid will be back is the biggest question facing this franchise.

ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski, speaking on the network on Tuesday, gave an update on Embiid's situation, stating that the Sixers have "hope" that he can return to play by late March.

Here's a transcription of Wojarnowski's comments with video to follow:

They are still optimistic that they can get him back. I think there's some hope that they can get him back on the court by sometime in late March, back, starting to get into condition.

The goal here isn't necessarily to try to bring him back and see how many regular season games you might be able to win with him. The goal is to get him as healthy as he can be for the postseason, hope they can hang in where they are and then have as spry and mobile and conditioned of a Joel Embiid as they can for what would either be a play-in game, maybe as a seventh seed or at five or six, a nightmare first-round matchup for a team that gets home-court advantage in the East and, all of a sudden, here comes a healthy Joel Embiid with Buddy Hield, with Kyle Lowry, with the additions.

Probably about a week away from getting an update on a timeline with him. [ESPN]

Woj: Sixers expect Joel Embiid back in late-March pic.twitter.com/yG60otjsmh
— Oh no he didn't (@ohnohedidnt24) February 27, 2024

Embiid was having yet another MVP-caliber season before sustaining his latest injury, averaging a career-best 35.3 points per night in 34 games. The Sixers will only go as far as Embiid will take them if he does indeed return in time for the playoffs, but a hampered Embiid mixed with the ghosts of playoff failures of the past puts the team in a rough position.

Given how the Sixers have looked in the big man's absence, a play-in appearance feels likely if/when Embiid is back in action.