Sixers News: 3 Veterans Held Out of First Scrimmage

The Philadelphia 76ers had a few veterans sit out of the team's first scrimmage this week.

May 7, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) against the Boston Celtics during the fourth quarter of game four of the 2023 NBA playoffs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images / Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

Day one of the Philadelphia 76ers’ training camp in The Bahamas took place on Tuesday. The Sixers were fortunate to make it to training camp without any injuries lingering.

For a player like Joel Embiid, that’s a great sign, considering everything he’s gone through this past year. Embiid missed more than half of the 2023-2024 season due to a knee injury. Although he returned in time for playoffs, he wasn’t one hundred percent and dealt with a case of Bell’s Palsey throughout the run.

Fortunately, the star center was cleared to participate in the 2024 Paris Olympics with Team USA. By avoiding setbacks, Embiid made it home with a gold medal.

On Monday, Embiid revealed that he was in good health and excellent shape. He noted that he had a significant weight loss, and his knee was good to go.

Although Embiid was a participant in Tuesday’s practice, 76ers head coach Nick Nurse confirmed that the big man did not participate in the main scrimmage.

According to PhillyVoice’s Adam Aaronson, that’s not an issue. Nurse noted the Sixers are simply “ramping up” the seven-time All-Star.

The Philadelphia 76ers on SI show is available on Spotify, Apple, and Amazon streaming platforms.

Embiid isn’t alone.

In addition to the veteran big man, the Sixers limited Eric Gordon and Kyle Lowry on Tuesday. Considering they are two seasoned vets with miles on them, Nurse didn’t see a need to toss them into the fire right away.

Heading into the new year, Lowry is 38 with 18 years of experience under his belt. Gordon, 36, is entering year 17. Nurse has seen enough out of the veterans over the years to know what their roles could be when the season begins.

On Tuesday, the Sixers will hold their second session. It’s unclear if Embiid, Lowry, and Gordon will go through the full practice or not, but the three are certainly expected to participate in most drills, barring any unexpected setbacks.