Joel Embiid’s offseason is drawing a much more encouraging read from the 76ers than his recent injury history might suggest.
With Philadelphia already pushing into contender talk after landing Jaylen Brown from the Boston Celtics and signing LeBron James in free agency, Embiid remains the name everyone is watching. His availability has been the lingering question around the roster, and for good reason. Over the past few seasons, knee problems have repeatedly interrupted his run, including last year’s recovery from arthroscopic surgery on his left knee.
But Sixers coach Nick Nurse offered a strong update on Embiid during a recent episode of "Takeoff with John Clark".
"He looks fantastic by the way, he's having a great summer," stated Nurse. "He's in shape, he's active, and he's feeling much better to get out on the floor and to get in the weight room."
That kind of summer report is exactly what Philadelphia wants to hear. Embiid is coming off a season in which he averaged 26.9 points and 7.7 rebounds, but he appeared in only 38 regular-season games. That was still double the total from the season before, yet it remains well below the workload the Sixers would love to see from their franchise centerpiece.
The bigger hope for Philadelphia is a return to the kind of availability Embiid had before the meniscus tear he suffered during the 2023-24 season, when he was averaging roughly 54 games a year.
For now, the signs from Nurse are positive. As training camp gets closer, Embiid’s health and readiness will stay front and center.
In Other News...
Grant Williams Just Eased A Big 76ers Fear About Jaylen Brown
Grant Williams helped calm one of the lingering concerns around Jaylen Brown this week, offering a firsthand view of what Brown and Jayson Tatum were like during their time together in Boston. Williams, who shared the Celtics locker room with both players from 2019 to 2023 before he was traded to the Mavericks, said their relationship was respectful and positive on and off the court, a detail that matters because Brown has long been viewed through the lens of how he might fit with Philadelphia if the 76ers ever circle back.
For the Sixers, the bigger issue has never just been Browns talent. Its whether the personality and basketball fit would hold up in a new setting, especially with the rumors that have followed him because of his ties to Tatum and the Celtics recent years of title-chasing. Williams comments do not answer every question about a potential move, but they do take some of the edge off the concern that Browns dynamic with a star teammate would be a problem in Philadelphia. [Read more 🡒]
Jaylen Brown Just Made Sixers-Celtics Feel Even More Personal
Jaylen Browns arrival in Philadelphia already gave the Sixers-Celtics rivalry a sharper edge, and his introductory press conference only added to the intrigue. Brown spoke respectfully about Jayson Tatum, the teammate with whom he won a championship in Boston, while making clear the two have not communicated since the trade that sent him to the 76ers.
For a team trying to reset itself around a star-studded starting lineup, Brown brings both production and baggage in the best possible way. He comes off a season in which he averaged 28.7 points, 6.9 rebounds and 5.1 assists, and now his move to Philadelphia gives the Sixers another marquee name as they chase a major turnaround next season. [Read more 🡒]