The Philadelphia 76ers and Joel Embiid faced challenges during the 2024-25 NBA season, with Embiid limited to just 19 games due to persistent knee issues, leading to his shutdown in February. His recent injury history has raised concerns about his future on the court. Despite winning the Most Valuable Player award previously with impressive stats of 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists, his availability has been inconsistent over the past two seasons, creating uncertainty for the team.

Daryl Morey, the 76ers' president of basketball operations, addressed Embiid's future on the "Rights To Ricky Sanchez: The Sixers Podcast," expressing optimism but acknowledging the unknown nature of his situation. "Look, nobody knows what (Embiid’s) future will be,” Morey stated. “We're optimistic, but nobody knows… We have a wide range of outcomes, we're optimistic, but part of sports is to not know. We are maybe the most unknown team in the NBA."

When healthy, Embiid has demonstrated continued productivity, averaging 23.8 points, 8.2 rebounds, and 4.5 assists in the 19 games he played. There is widespread hope for his return, as the Sixers' system heavily depends on his presence and activity on the court. Embiid was shut down before the end of the regular season to determine the best approach for addressing his injury.