Perhaps the biggest storyline of the 2024-25 NBA season thus far has been Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid missing the first three games in a confusing situation involving a potential injury and load management.
If Tuesday’s pregame press conference from 76ers head coach Nick Nurse is any indication, he’s had enough of fielding questions about Embiid’s health.
Before the start of the season, the 76ers announced their plan for Embiid not to play both sides of back-to-back games this season, a decision that has been picked apart by media pundits and fans alike. Embiid was then a surprising omission from their season opener.
Since then, the 76ers have been incredibly vague about Embiid’s absence. So much so that the NBA actually opened an investigation into why he isn’t taking the floor.
76ers head coach Nike Nurse shared last week that Embiid did not suffer a new injury or setback that is sidelining him. But the team still doesn’t feel like he is “ready” to return to the floor.
During Tuesday’s media availability after practice, Nurse again fielded questions about Embiid’s health but largely refused to give a straight answer about what is ailing his former MVP-winning center.
“You guys got the update, they were in parts of practice,” said Nurse about Embiid and Paul George, who is also nursing a far more defined knee injury after hyperextending it during a preseason game.
“On we go,” he added.
Seconds later, Nurse was asked another question about Embiid but cut the reporter off, saying he wouldn’t be answering it.
“I’m not gonna answer,” said Nurse before asking another reporter to ask a question instead. “Go ahead, anybody else got anything? They have given you the updates on that, right? They have given you the updates on Joel.”
If there was any substantial update from the 76ers, this kind of statement would be fine from Nurse. But the only thing we have heard from the franchise is that Embiid will not play Wednesday against the Detroit Pistons.
If anything, we’ve gotten more information from the NBA’s investigation, which determined that Embiid has been unable to play due to a “left knee condition.”
The 76ers have been fined $100,000 for public statements that are “inconsistent with Joel Embiid’s health status.”
Here’s the official release from the NBA on its investigation into Joel Embiid missing the start of the season due to a “left knee condition.” pic.twitter.com/rRHZjxsZ8C
— Gina Mizell (@ginamizell) October 29, 2024
Nurse can get frustrated with the questions he continues to get about Embiid, but so long as the team remains coy about the specifics, those questions are likely to keep coming.
[Philadelphia 76ers on YouTube]
