Joel Embiid’s health has been a topic of discussion this offseason, but it hasn’t felt like major news because the big man has been dealing with injuries for quite some time. He’s currently recovering from his second serious knee injury in as many years and is rehabbing in hopes of being ready for training camp. This time, though, the concern feels different. According to reports, retirement is not off the table.
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After tearing his meniscus in February 2024, he played in only 39 games that season. Then, during the 2024–25 campaign, he went down again in February with an injury to the same knee. He required arthroscopic surgery and ended up playing in just 19 games.
Philadelphia is waiting for him to return healthy and better than ever. The team has publicly insisted that Embiid will be ready in time for the start of the 2025–26 season. However, it’s now being reported that the 76ers are not disclosing the full extent of Embiid’s knee issues.
“As for Embiid, there is genuine concern about his knee health. Of course, word from Philly gets downplayed, but around the league, word is bad,” said NBA insider Brett Siegel via X.
It’s the worst possible news for any Sixers fan. Embiid has been loyal to a fault, winning scoring titles and even an MVP during his time with the team. Removing him from the franchise’s long-term plans would drastically change their outlook. More than that, it would be devastating for a fan base that has embraced him as a decade-long cornerstone in the City of Brotherly Love.
Only updates are that George is out for the start of training camp and may not play in the preseason. Too early to tell there.
As for Embiid, there is genuine concern about his knee health. Of course, word from Philly gets downplayed, but around the league, word is bad. https://t.co/4lLry1FM9A
— Brett Siegel (@BrettSiegelNBA) August 3, 2025
Retirement rumors have also popped up around Embiid. Recently, another NBA insider, Keith Pompey, theorized that the big man could be retiring soon after reading his feature with ESPN. He cited how players don’t usually get so candid about their injury struggles until after their careers are over, so it’s worrisome that Embiid is already starting to open up about it.
“I think Joel may know that the end is near,” Pompey said on SiriusXM NBA Radio. “And this is just me saying that. And it’s kind of explaining to people what he’s going through. Because rarely do you have a guy tell you how much pain and how much they’re going through.”
In the end, it’s sad, but Embiid could be going down the same path as Yao Ming, whose career was derailed by foot injuries. Ming missed the entirety of his second-to-last season in the NBA, then played in only 5 games before calling it quits at 30, which is how old Embiid is now.
It’s been a great career for Embiid, a former MVP. But if he does retire soon, it’ll be sad. He’ll be remembered as a “what if” player, one who had the chance to become one of the GOATs but fell short because of injury issues. He came into the league with a stress fracture in his foot that caused him to miss the first two seasons of his career. Now, it seems like he’s going to leave the league with another debilitating one.
Of course, that’s just our best guess. It would be awesome if Embiid could go out on his own terms, though. That’s what we’re ultimately rooting for. It just doesn’t seem like that outcome is in the cards.
