Joel Embiid Injured, Latest Updates on 76ers Star's Status and Timeline for Return

The Philadelphia 76ers are going to be seriously shorthanded at center when they play the Indiana Pacers on Sunday.

The team confirmed Joel Embiid will be out with right foot plantar fascia management. Backup bigs Adem Bona and Dominick Barlow will be sidelined as well.

That leaves coach Nick Nurse either starting Tacko Fall at the 5 or utilizing a makeshift center for the majority of the contest.

The new-look Sixers are 10-3 to open the 2026-27 NBA season, an encouraging sign as they try to contend for a championship. Embiid is putting up 17.9 points, 8.8 rebounds, 3.7 assists and 0.7 blocks per game so far this season.

The decorated star is hoping to put together a healthy campaign after struggling to stay on the floor consistently since his MVP campaign in 2022-23. He has yet to play more than 39 games since that season while battling various injuries, mainly a knee ailment.

Embiid still managed to put together a good year when healthy last season, averaging 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists and 1.2 blocks per game. If he can put up those kind of numbers while staying on the floor consistently, the 76ers will have plenty of success this year.

When Philadelphia added LeBron James and Jaylen Brown this offseason, the only concern fans had was the health of the team's stars. The 76ers will need to continue managing Embiid and his co-stars' playing time so they can ensure a healthy roster going into the postseason.