By Barbara Harrison
Sixers fans have been on pins and needles since Yahoo! reported Saturday night that Sixer Joel Embiid’s healing process has not been as rapid as was hoped.
The Sixers’ statement was properly cautious, stressing that the team will do whatever is in Embiid’s and the Sixers’ interest.
The Inquirer quotes an unnamed NBA exec that Embiid may need another operation on his foot, and Ch. 6 tweets that he does not need another operation.
So, who do you trust?
Kansas head coach Bill Self, the last man who coached Embiid in a basketball game, told reporters on Monday that the Sixers’ big man said his situation isn’t as bad as it seems. From KUSports.com’s Benton Smith:
The future didn’t seem so dire, though, in one third-hand account of the center’s situation. On Monday afternoon, Bill Self told reporters KU assistant coach Norm Roberts spoke with Embiid on the phone this past weekend and the injury-plagued big told his former college assistant “he hasn’t re-injured anything.”
“Basically, he’s been working out and everything, and the doctor told him — based on doing the MRIs or X-rays or whatever they do… even though it feels better, it doesn’t look like it’s made the progress they would hope at this stage, so they were gonna slow him down,” Self related. “But by no means, from what Jo has told us, ‘slow down’ does not mean major setback. It means they’re gonna give it a little bit more time to heal before they put him in stressful situations.”
Self said this on the same day that Sixers fans were given a scare. The Inquirer’s Keith Pompey reported that there’s a “legitimate chance” Embiid could miss the entire 2015-2016 season. He has already missed his rookie year, and he’s no longer expected to play in summer league in July.
If you missed Sixers’ general manager Sam Hinkie’s somewhat vague statement on the matter:
“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.”
