Chandler Parsons: Joel Embiid Has Considered Getting Knee Injury Treated in Germany

Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid weighed whether to travel to Germany to receive platelet-rich plasma treatment on his ailing left knee, according to former NBA forward Chandler Parsons.

Parsons said Monday on FanDuel TV's Run It Back that Embiid explored "doing the Kobe Bryant shots" among other options:

PRP treatment was relatively novel when Bryant first went abroad for the procedure in 2011. Over time, it has become a fairly regular route for NBA players, with Embiid having done it in the past.

The Sixers have already announced the 2022-23 MVP will miss the remainder of this season because of knee trouble. The focus for he and the team now is his long-term health.

ESPN's Ramona Shelburne reported on what that could entail.

"His options could be surgical—another meniscus repair or a meniscus transplant, or even what's called an osteotomy, in which doctors break a bone to realign his body, according to medical experts consulted by ESPN who have not examined Embiid directly," Shelburne wrote.

"Those are more radical options that could warrant a lengthy recovery time that could stretch into next season."

It goes without saying that Philadelphia's championship hopes in the near future rest squarely on Embiid's shoulders. There's no plausible scenario in which a deep playoff run is possible if he's out of action.

The Sixers entered the 2024-25 with massive ambitions. They've been one of the NBA's biggest disappointments as they sit 11th in the Eastern Conference.

Still, they have Paul George signed through at least 2027, and Embiid's extension carries him through 2028 at a minimum.

Having Embiid miss a portion of 2026-27 is an acceptable cost if it means he can stay healthy for the most part into the future.