If Joel Embiid isn’t playing in February 2026, the Philadelphia 76ers could petition for a medical NBA retirement. Embiid will miss the rest of this season after the team shut him down. “The determination on whether Embiid suffered a career-ending injury would be made by a physician selected by the NBA and the players’ association,

Embiid played just 39 games last season due to a torn meniscus in his left knee. The Sixers announced in early February of that season that he had undergone surgery. He came back in early April, participated in the Sixers' playoff run, and then won a gold medal with the U.S. Olympic team last year at the Paris Games.