Joel Embiid’s illness and Kawhi Leonard’s dominance have put Philly on the brink of elimination going into Game 6. Will Toronto advance to face Milwaukee?
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Joel Embiid believes he will need to undergo surgery on his left knee again in the offseason. Embiid is dealing with ongoing swelling in his knee, which is limited his availability on an continual basis.
Embiid is hopeful that another surgery and a lengthy recovery period will help resolve the issue. Embiid suffered a meniscus injury in the knee last February, which required surgery. Embiid returned in time for the playoffs and then went on to play in the Olympics in the summer.
Embiid is averaging 24.6 points, 8.1 rebounds and 4.4 assists in 29.9 minutes over 15 games going into Sunday’s contest against the Milwaukee Bucks.
The Sixers signed Embiid to a three-year, $193 million extension before the start of the 24-25 season. Embiid was on the Sixers’ books for five years and just under $300 million heading into the 24-25 season. Embiid holds a player option in 28-29 at $69.1 million.
Los Angeles Lakers guard D’Angelo Russell has a player option for $18.7 million for next season. Russell hasn’t decided if he’ll pick up his option or opt out, but he does know he would prefer to remain with the Lakers.
“I’d love to be here and continue to give it a run and be where my feet are now,” Russell told HoopsHype. “Obviously, I’ve been on the other side of it, and I’ve been through the roller coaster of free agency and having to sit back and wait. I’m looking forward to not having to worry about that. I’ve been blessed enough to put myself in this position with my play. I’m definitely planning on taking advantage of that. When that time comes, I feel that everything will play out how it’s supposed to play out.”
The veteran guard also said there’s a lot of pressure playing in what is effectively a contract year.
“It’s definitely pressure,” Russell said. “It’s something that can eat a lot of people up in the league. A lot of people can be too high at times and too low at times, which causes an emotional roller coaster through the ups and downs of the season. For me, I wanted to control that. I wanted to stay sane and stay even-keeled through the ups and the downs.”
The trade market the Chicago Bulls have attempted to generate for Zach LaVine has continued to be tepid and their improved play without him over the past few weeks has done nothing to improve the situation.
“Two things have to happen for the Bulls and for Zach LaVine to even have a chance, I think, really, for a trade at the deadline,” said Adrian Wojnarowski on Wednesday evening. “He has to show teams that he’s healthy. And he has to show them he can impact winning. This team has played much better without him. And with his contract, in this new salary cap, at a deal if you have to take him on just under $200 million left on his contract. You’ve got to believe this player is healthy and can impact winning.
“There’s no market for Zach LaVine right now. There’s not been. And even him playing maybe increasingly better closer to the deadline, it just may not be there.
“This is a Bulls’ organization that, listen, would like to find a deal for him. And they’d like to get something back. That might be asking too much. They may in the end just have to be glad they can find a team that will take on his contract.”
LaVine re-signed with the Bulls in 2022 on a five-year, $215 million deal and then kept Nikola Vucevic last offseason on a three-year, $60 million extension.
“The Bulls do not want to do a teardown. They’re not trying to do that,” added Wojnarowski.
