Philadelphia 76ers

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) told reporters on Friday that he is unavailable for Philly's matchup on Saturday against the Memphis Grizzlies. The news comes after Embiid practiced fully on Friday, a potential sign that the former MVP may be close to returning to the Sixers' starting lineup. The 30-year-old's knee has not been as healthy as the team previously indicated, leading the NBA to fine the organization $100,000 for misleading comments about Embiid's health. Embiid also indicated on Friday that the level of strain experienced while playing during the Olympics does not match up to what he experiences while preparing to play for the Sixers. Fans have been questioning that aspect of his return to the court, forcing him to clarify his absence from the start of the season. While Embiid works on his recovery, expect Andre Drummond to continue to get starts at center. At 12.5 RPG it's hard to ignore his value on the boards.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (knee) is set to have "periodic" spells on the sidelines this season. Speaking during an appearance on SportsCenter, ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Philadelphia plans to keep Embiid healthy for the playoffs by giving him "periodic time off at different points during the season." The former MVP is set to have routine check-ups on his knee, and this is going to be the "new normal" for Embiid. The 76ers superstar has yet to play this season but has completed multiple five-on-five scrimmages during a ramp-up process and could be available as soon as this weekend.

Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George(knee) will not play against the Detroit Pistons on Wednesday. According to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the team said George and Joel Embiid (knee) participated in portions of practice today and will be re-assessed later in the week. Fantasy managers should consider George and Embiid questionable for the Sixers next game on Saturday versus the Memphis Grizzlies.

On Wednesday, Philadelphia 76ers centerJoel Embiid(knee) will not suit up against the Detroit Pistons. According to Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer, the team said Embiid and Paul George (knee) participated in portions of practice today and will be re-assessed later in the week. The NBA's Most Valuable Player in the 2022-2023 season missed the entire preseason with a left knee issue and will now miss his fourth straight game to start the regular season. Fantasy managers should consider him questionable for Saturday's contest versus Memphis.

Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (knee) participated in the Sixers' practice on Thursday and looks like he's progressing, according to head coach Nick Nurse. George suffered a bone bruise in a preseason game against the Atlanta Hawks and has been sidelined from most basketball action since. Philadelphia is likely to be very cautious in their approach to George's health, especially given their extremely cautious approach to teammate Joel Embiid's knee. The 34-year-old was set to have his knee re-evaluated this week, but there has been no update on his knee's overall health since the bone-bruise diagnosis last week. Fantasy managers shouldn't be surprised not to see George play in regular-season action for at least another week or two. In the meantime, Eric Gordon should continue to get starts for Philly, though his fantasy value may not impress much, as the veteran went 1-for-6 for just two points in their season opener against Milwaukee on Wednesday.