76ers Make Decision on Joel Embiid's Playing Status vs Hornets

Will Joel Embiid play for the Philadelphia 76ers against the Charlotte Hornets?

Mar 17, 2023; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) slaps hands with his teammates as he comes out of the game during the second half against the Charlotte Hornets at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images / Brian Westerholt-Imagn Images

When the Philadelphia 76ers paid a visit to the Detroit Pistons over the weekend, they landed a key reinforcement as Paul George was cleared for action. Unfortunately, the return of Joel Embiid has remained on hold as multiple concerns linger.

The Sixers paid a visit to the Memphis Grizzlies on November 20. The matchup marked the third game in a row for Embiid, continuing his longest playing stretch of the season.

Embiid looked to be hitting his stride after a slow start. In 35 minutes of action, the big man scored 35 points on 48 percent shooting from the field. He also accounted for 11 rebounds and dished out two assists.

The 76ers expected to have Embiid on board for a fourth-straight matchup against the Brooklyn Nets two nights later, but he was downgraded as he experienced swelling in his knee. Once the Sixers evaluated the seven-time All-Star, they ruled him out for an additional matchup right away.

Jan 20, 2024; Charlotte, North Carolina, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) shoots over Charlotte Hornets center Nathan Mensah (31)during the second quarter at Spectrum Center. Mandatory Credit: Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images / Jim Dedmon-Imagn Images

The Sixers lost Embiid for two games in a row before holding a practice session last Tuesday. The star center was not a participant and didn’t intend to play against the Houston Rockets the following night. When the Sixers held another practice session last Friday, the trend continued.

Embiid was ruled out due to knee injury management and personal reasons for the Saturday night battle in Detroit. As expected, Embiid was not with the team.

On Monday, the Sixers went to work with a practice session ahead of their NBA Cup action against the Charlotte Hornets, which takes place on Tuesday night.

Once again, Embiid was not a part of the action. According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, Embiid will remain off the court for Tuesday's matchup against the Charlotte Hornets.

Sixers center Joel Embiid will remain sidelined for Tuesday night's game vs. the Charlotte Hornets with left knee injury management and personal reasons.

— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) December 2, 2024

Since the season started, Embiid has missed time more often than not. After the Sixers opened up the regular season on October 23, they competed without their All-Star center for the first nine games of the year. On November 12, Embiid made his 2024-2025 NBA season debut.

Since then, Embiid has appeared in just three of eight games. In the four games he played, the star center averaged 20 points, eight rebounds, four assists, and one block. He’s averaging 38 percent shooting from the field and hitting on just 17 percent of his threes.