After continuing to see little to no improvement from their current treatment strategy, the Sixers and Joel Embiid will once again consult doctors and will now consider alternative options for the former MVP’s injured left knee, ESPN’s Shams Charania reported Sunday.
According to Charania, the potential solutions being considered include surgery, which Embiid alluded to as a potential necessity on Feb. 9.
It’s been a running thought by fans and even national media members that Embiid should simply have the surgery and prepare for next season ever since first mentioned the idea. The only problem is that this supposed surgery may not even exist.
There are many types of knee injuries, multiple that involve the meniscus as well. Simply put, it all depends on what is actually wrong with his knee. Is it a matter of debris or another tear? Neither of those possibilities has been reported or even hinted at. Is it a matter of Embiid having virtually or literally no more cartilage in his knee? Considering his injury history, this seems far more likely. However, there is no clear surgical option in this case.
Microfracture surgery has proven time and time again to hurt more than it’s helped for NBA players. Without a tear, there is no ability to perform a meniscus repair surgery, nor is there a point to another meniscectomy in that case.
One frequently suggested surgery is known by some as the Lonzo Ball surgery; to many more, it’s known as a meniscal allograft transplantation or meniscus transplant. While the early results are somewhat positive for Ball, the difference between Ball and Embiin in both age and body size provides significantly different — less positive — optics for recovery.
Whatever the Sixers and Embiid jointly decide, they will need to put a lot of man-hours into their research. With 26 games left this season and the Sixers currently being 16 games below .500, this is as clear a sign as any to waive the white flag on Joel Embiid’s season, barring some miracle cure.
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