Just when the Philadelphia 76ers and their No. 3 overall pick from the 2014 NBA Draft, center Joel Embiid, seemed to have placed the injury concerns behind them – even if just for the moment – a report surfaced stating Embiid has suffered yet another setback in his recovery process, per Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports:
"After weeks of rigorous workouts, Embiid had not felt pain in the foot, but a recent CT scan revealed an issue in the healing process, sources said. Philadelphia is consulting with doctors on how to best proceed, and it’s still premature to speculate on the possibility of another surgical procedure that could sideline Embiid, sources said."
Obviously, this is the kind of news that will make every Sixers fan cringe at the possibility of Embiid spending even more time sidelined. Prior to the news, Embiid was expected to make his professional debut for the Sixers in the NBA Summer League next month, just as Nerlens Noel did after sitting out his entire rookie season recovering from an ACL injury.
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But Sam Hinkie, the Sixers’ president of basketball operations and general manager, wasted no time in releasing a public statement clarifying the situation:
“As part of the conservative approach focused on the long-term health, recovery and care of Joel, we have been closely monitoring his progress, regularly evaluating his status and adjusting our plans accordingly.
“Recently, Joel and Sixers personnel traveled to Los Angeles for a series of routine exams with a number of physicians who have been actively involved throughout this process. During his visit with Dr. Richard Ferkel, a standard CT scan on Joel’s right foot revealed less healing than anticipated at this point.
“Our priority remains providing Joel with every opportunity to ensure he has a long and successful NBA career, and as such, these findings cause us to pause and reassess his current activities. Together with Joel and his representatives, we will continue to consult with the experienced team of doctors who have been an integral part of his evaluations, while also engaging in dialogue with a broader set of experts and specialists.
“Discussions regarding the appropriate next steps are currently ongoing and we will share an update once it becomes available.”
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It’s still far too early to begin speculating about how this could potentially shake the current and future landscape of the 76ers roster.
But it’s certainly worth noting that the 2015 NBA Draft is now less than two weeks away and with the possibility of a big man such as Karl Towns, Jahlil Okafor or Kritaps Porzingis being available when the Sixers are on the clock, what news an evaluation brings in the coming days could have an impact on the direction Philly decides to go in the draft.
Prior to the report, Embiid was said to have been showing signs of dominance and explosiveness; the same signs that have led so many to believing Embiid will be well worth the wait if he can make a full and extended recovery.
For now, all the Sixers and their fans can do is wait and hope for the best.
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