As Joel Embiid continues to rehab his left knee, the Philadelphia 76ers offered fans a glimpse of the superstar center’s on-court progress. The brief footage provided a ray of hope as the 2023Â MVP’s lingering health concerns loom large entering the 2025-26 NBA season.
After battling a left knee issue throughout the 2024-25 campaign, Embiid was shut down in late February, having made just 19 appearances. In his absence, Philadelphia’s depleted roster tumbled to a 13th-place Eastern Conference finish (24-58), a stark contrast to the organization’s championship aspirations at the season’s outset.
Following several weeks of consulting with experts, Embiid opted to undergo arthroscopic left knee surgery in April, marking his second procedure on the knee in 14 months. Since then, updates have been scarce, with the 76ers holding out hope that their franchise player, who has resumed partial basketball activities, will be ready for training camp.
76ers Post Short Joel Embiid Workout Video, Raising Questions About His Recovery Status
On Tuesday, Philadelphia posted photos and videos on X of several of its players participating in workouts ahead of training camp, which begins later this month. Among them was Embiid, who, in a five-second clip, could be seen knocking down a jumper in the post.
“Work before the work,” the team captioned the post.
work before the work. 💼@PennMedicine pic.twitter.com/X4bbysC1F4
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) September 10, 2025
Though not a highlight-worthy moment, Embiid was notably not wearing a brace, compression sleeve, or protective tape on his left knee. Still, his exact return timeline remains murky, with 76ers coach Nick Nurse acknowledging last month that he was “not sure” if the seven-time All-Star would be available for training camp.
Embiid is already expected to sit out one leg of each of the 76ers’ league-high-tying 16 back-to-backs this coming season, leaving the team with little margin for error. If he misses time to begin the year, that concern will only be magnified.
While the addition of 2025 No. 3 pick V.J. Edgecombe should give Philadelphia a two-way boost in its backcourt, Embiid’s health remains paramount. The same goes for his co-stars Paul George and Tyrese Maxey, who are each coming off injury-plagued campaigns. George also underwent arthroscopic left knee surgery on July 14Â to treat an injury he sustained during an offseason workout.
If Embiid can return close to his peak form and stay relatively healthy until the 2026 playoffs, the 76ers could emerge as a dark-horse threat in what is projected to be a weakened East. However, after suiting up in only 58Â outings over the past two years, banking on the 31-year-old may prove misguided, even with another year of load management on the horizon.
