Philadelphia 76ers NBA 2015 news: Embiid out for next season?

Joel EmbiidWikipedia

The Philadelphia 76ers woes continue and while the team had high expectations for a respectable 2015-16 NBA season, the chances of that happening have now dimmed.

This was after reports came out that Embiid could be out for another whole season with reports that the 2014 third overall pick has suffered a setback as far as his recuperation is concerned.

The Sixers selected Embiid despite the fact that the center had a stress fracture on his right foot which would keep him out of his rookie year (2014-15).

And now with the new setback, it looks like Embiid may sit out the 2015-16 season as well. The worst scenario is that Embiid would be required to undergo a second surgery, further posing questions on whether Embiid could ever play in the NBA level with a seemingly tender right foot.

Despite the issues, the Sixers remain confident that Embiid will still prove them wrong. Like last year, their focus is to make sure that Embiid returns 100% healthy despite the fact that it may take another whole year to see that happen.

Had he been healthy, the Sixers would have had a formidable frontline featuring him and Nerlens Noel.

Incidentally, Noel was in the same predicament before Embiid was drafted but successfully debuted for the Sixers last year. For Embiid, that looming though could happen only perhaps by the 2015-17 NBA season if his reported setback is serious.

Despite the impending setback, sources say that such will not alter the plans of the team in the coming 2015 NBA Draft where the Sixers will be selecting third in the first round.

While they did not mention any player in mind, they will reportedly go after the best player available once their turn comes.

There is a long-shot chance they could get to draft Karl-Anthony Towns or Jahlil Okafor, but that would all depend on who the Minnesota Timberwolves select first and if the Los Angeles Lakers will indeed opt to get a guard rather than a forward in the coming NBA Draft.