Joel Embiid’s Knee Injuries The Sixers’ NBA Trade Deadline for 2024…..

The Philadelphia 76ers got both good news and bad news on Thursday night.

The good news is that fourth-year guard Tyrese Maxey earned his first All-Star nod. The bad news is that All-Star center Joel Embiid, the league’s reigning Most Valuable Player, suffered a lateral meniscus injury on Tuesday night against the Golden State Warriors and is out at least through the weekend.

According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, “there is still uncertainty over how Embiid and the 76ers will move forward with a treatment plan for the injury, and options will be discussed over the next several days.” The timing could hardly be worse for the Sixers, who also have to decide what (if anything) to do before the Feb. 8 NBA trade deadline.

The Sixers seemingly expect to have a better of idea in the next few days of when—or if—Embiid will return this season. More than anything else, the answer to that question should shape their approach to the trade deadline.

After Thursday night’s game against the Utah Jazz, the Sixers have only seven more games until the All-Star break. Embiid would have the next three weeks to recover if he missed those seven games, although it’s currently unclear whether that will be even close to enough time for him. Until the Sixers have more clarity on that, it’s impossible to decide what they should be prioritizing at the trade deadline.

If they expect Embiid to be sidelined for most (or all) of the rest of the season, they’ll have to decide whether they can live with Paul Reed and Mo Bamba anchoring their frontcourt. If not, another starting-caliber center might soar to the top of their trade deadline wish list.

A reunion with Chicago Bulls center Andre Drummond, who’s on a $3.4 million expiring contract, might make sense. The same goes for Detroit Pistons big man Mike Muscala, who’s on a $3.5 million expiring deal. If they wanted a higher-end option, Utah Jazz center Kelly Olynyk could be their best bet, as he’s on a $12.2 million expiring contract.