Is Joel Embiid playing tonight against Minnesota Timberwolves? Exploring former MVP's status for preseason game (Oct. 11)
After Joel Embiid's busy offseason with Team USA, Nick Nurse has made sure to be cautious with the 2023 NBA MVP as he'll try to keep him on the court at the most important parts of this season. Two potential 2025 NBA Finals participants, the Philadelphia 76ers and Minnesota Timberwolves, clash on Friday night but the superstar center won't be available.
The 76ers will play their second preseason game on Friday after facing the New Zealand Breakers on Monday. Embiid will have another night off against the Timberwolves in Iowa but it has nothing to do with an injury and rather about managing his workload.
He played less than 40 games before suffering a knee injury last season. His MVP-worthy campaign was ruined and opened the door for Nikola Jokic to get the third MVP of his career.
Philadelphia had a busy offseason as they added a plethora of players in free agency such as Caleb Martin, Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon, Kyle Lowry, Reggie Jackson, Guerschon Yabusele and the most important piece, Paul George. They also drafted Jared McCain.
Joel Embiid signed a three-year $193 million extension in September, which will keep him with the 76ers through the 2028-29 season when he'll have a player option. It seems like everything is in place for the Sixers to compete but without Embiid on the court, the job will be harder.
Nick Nurse explains why Joel Embiid isn't playing in the preseason
On Thursday, Sixers coach Nick Nurse announced that Embiid is not with the team, as he is taking care of his knee. He didn't mention when he would be back and the Sixers don't want to rush his return to the court.
“Well, he’s not here," Nurse said. "He’s at a scheduled assessment of his knee. That was always on the schedule. We’re still waiting for what’s next.”
The Sixers will hit the road to face the Boston Celtics on Saturday and the Atlanta Hawks on Monday. Joel Embiid's status for each game is unknown.
The team has a serious chance at winning the NBA title this season, especially after Paul George's arrival. It seems like it all will come down to Embiid's health and whether he can stay on the court all season long or if the Sixers will suffer another disappointing campaign.