It remains to be seen how long the Philadelphia 76ers will be patient on Joel Embiid, their choice as the third overall pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.
Embiid would have been the hands down choice to be the Cleaveland Cavaliers' top pick if it weren't for issues concerning his feet. Now, such seems to be taking shape and the 76ers may have wasted a good pick on the supposedly promising big man.
Although only 21, Embiid could be a force. But all that may be known after he undergoes a second surgery for his foot, something that will reportedly be similar to the surgery that Oklahoma City Thunder's Kevin Durant had to go through, according to Yahoo Sports.
The second surgery follows the first one he had. In June 2014, Embiid underwent surgery to repair a stress fracture on his foot. But a recent CT Scan reveals that the foot will require a second surgery, which has been set for this coming Tuesday, Aug. 18.
With Embiid out for the season once more, the Sixers may have to wait another full year to see if they made the wise choice of selecting the former University of Kansas cager.
Barring any further issues, Embiid could be up and about when the Sixers hold training camp next year.
If all goes well, the Sixers will have four big men healthy. Aside from Embiid, the team also has Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel, and Henry Sims.
Even though he has not played a single game for the Sixers, Embiid will be receiving the $9 million owed to him, reveals a report from ESPN's Darren Rovell. However, his current foot injury is excluded from the insurance part of the contract, citing that the injury was preexisting.
It will also be interesting what the Sixers plan to do after this year. Embiid's contract for the next two years will be under a team option, meaning the Sixers could opt not to pick it up. A wild guess would see the team picking up the first year, if he is healthy, and then taking it from there.
