The Philadelphia 76ers did not get what they were expecting out of Joel Embiid. After getting drafted in the first round two years ago, Embiid has yet to step on the floor for an NBA game thanks to a foot injury. That forced the 76ers to move forward with Nerlens Noel and Jhalil Okafor as their front court while Embiid watches courtside. However, the former Kansas star is gearing up for a return.
Embiid still has the faith of the entire 76ers' team as it awaits for his return. Embiid is working toward a full recovery of a reoccurring injury in his navicular bone that has required multiple surgeries. While many people would see this as a major red flag for a center, the 76ers' general manager Sam Hinkie expects Embiid to be good to go next year.
"We're obviously excited about him and have always been excited about him because he has rare gifts and he has a real chance to have a fantastic NBA career," Hinkie said. "That's obviously been delayed due to his injury, but he's doing great.
Hinkie might be right when he predicts Embiid will make his debut next year. The center has been participating in team warmups, draining 3-point shots before games. He is starting to look the part of an NBA player again, but that could end up causing issues for the 76ers next year.
Philadelphia is preparing to have three healthy big men next year. All three will be looking to start. That is not going to happen, which means Philadelphia could move on from at least one of the three in what would end up being a blockbuster trade. The 76ers came close to one at the mid-season deadline. The Boston Celtics were heavily interested but could not pull off a deal. The Atlanta Hawks were also reportedly an option when they were shopping Al Horford.
Head coach Brett Brown does not believe the 76ers will have an issue with Noel, Embiid and Okafor on the court. It has been hard enough to figure out how Okafor and Noel can co-exist together this year. Adding in Embiid would make things even worse. Of course, trading someone like Okafor is a huge risk simply because of Embiid's injury history. The 76ers will have some decisions to make when the time comes.
"I think Jerry Colangelo said it best - that's a high-class problem," Brown said. "Joel coming back will be a challenge in that he hasn't played basketball for two years. For us to expect immediate results would be naïve. I say that because inevitably there will be minute restrictions with what we expect."
