Wins and losses- that’s the NBA’s language. You better keep up or get left behind in the game. A strong roster should mean more wins, right? But what if, no matter how good you are, things keep crumbling? No team knows this heartbreak better than the Philadelphia 76ers. They have the talent. They have the depth. Yet, here they are—stumbling again. And now, as if fate wasn’t cruel enough, Joel Embiid’s knee adds another painful twist.

Joel Embiid, the 2023 MVP, is walking a path too familiar. Kawhi Leonard. Lonzo Ball. Surgeries, recoveries, setbacks. Hope rising, then crashing, and fans growing restless. Remember when he tried a headstand at the training center—while sidelined with that tricky knee? Philly lost it. Was he faking it? Losing interest? Just playing the game off the court instead?

But hey, listen closely- his recent confessions tell another story. One of pain. Of doubt. Of wanting more. The road back isn’t easy, but maybe—just maybe—he’s still all in.

Will Joel Embiid go through another procedure for his knee?

Joel Embiid might be eyeing another knee surgery this offseason. ESPN’s Lisa Salters dropped the bombshell during the Bucks-Sixers game—he believes a long recovery could finally fix his nagging knee. The timing is brutal. And his frustration seems obvious. And when asked post-game if surgery was a must, the answer hung in the air, heavier than ever.

“There’s not much to say,” the Process said. “… I mean, the straightforward answer is when you’ve got something that’s inconsistent, at some point we’ve got to do something about it. We don’t know what it is. We are looking into every option … at some point.” Addressing his knee as an inconsistent entity now, Embiid shared his thoughts. He believes something needs to be done. That’s of utmost importance as they go deeper into the ongoing season, heading towards the playoffs.

Joel added: “I think everybody knows I want to play and I’m trying to do my best.” Embiid, 30, has barely been on the court this season—just 16 games. His numbers? Solid. 24.8 points, 8.3 rebounds, 4.5 assists. But consistency? Nowhere to be found. That left knee won’t let up. He missed 15 straight games from January to February. Since then, it’s been a cycle—play, sit, repeat. Frustrating. Uncertain. And for Philly fans, all too familiar. But, he’s trying. “At some point, if that keeps being inconsistent as it’s been, you’ve got to try something. … I’m extremely confident and fully confident. I just haven’t had enough time.”

“No one knew it was going to be like this,” Embiid shared. “After the surgery, I didn’t have enough time. I came back for the playoffs. And then after the Olympics, then right back to the regular season… So I think at some point, I probably just need to just, especially when the summer comes around, we are going to get those few months and just recover for me. As I say, I don’t know what it is. But if that keeps being the same pattern, obviously you’ve got to try something else.”

Top Comment by emj528raritan

Daryl Morey needs to be fired!!!!

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Meanwhile, the Sixers and the Process have knocked on every doctor’s door—more than a half dozen, in fact. No surgery yet, just a battle with pain and swelling. For now, he plays, pushing through. But frustration lingers. The team stands by him, ready to pivot if his knee waves the white flag. But, for how long?

Maybe, team president Daryl Morey could tell you.

Daryl Morey clears stance on Joel Embiid amidst trade demands

Philly fans are brutal when it comes to having the best for the team. Thus with Embiid’s inconsistency over the last couple of seasons, they have one demand and one alone: trade the 30-year-old center. But, is that the sole solution? Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers‘ president Daryl Morey has explained what’s on his mind for Joel Embiid. To begin with, he thinks the team can still win the 2025 title. With a 20-32 record and 11th in the East, doesn’t this seem a bit of a stretch to say?

However, talking about his superstar MVP center, Morey said: “We’re building around Joel. We’ve built around Joel and we continue to plan to build around Joel because he’s the special player that can help us win the championship.” Daryl Morey calls Joel Embiid “core to everything we do.” No doubts. No regrets. The Sixers handed him a three-year, $192.9 million max extension last summer, locking him in through 2028-29—if he picks up that juicy $69.1 million option. He turns 31 in March, and yes, the injuries pile up. But Philly isn’t second-guessing. They did their homework and they believed.

And well, it is this belief that has kept Embiid on the team for so long. He is an absolute menace on the court on days when he’s healthy. But, for most of it, Joel Embiid and the bench are in a toxic symbiosis, all thanks to his knee issues. Now, the question and the mystery remains: Will Joel Embiid get a sixth procedure in the 2025 offseason?