Joel Embiid says he’ll be back on the court next week, expects playoffs next year

When he’s not busy blocking the life out of little kids on Philadelphia playground, Joel Embiid has been spotted putting a lot of time in at the Sixers’ practice facility. All the rehab and off-court work appears to be paying off, because the Sixers’ center claims he’ll be back on the court next week.

In a brief interview with Uproxx’s Robby Kalland, Embiid dished on his rehab timetable:

Speaking of, how is your knee feeling and where are you at in the rehab process?

I’m feeling good. I’m supposed to see the doctor next week and they’re going to check everything just to make sure everything looks good. But I’ve been feeling good so I expect to be back on the court next week.

When it comes to Embiid’s health, no news tends to be good news, but having most of the summer to put in work on his game will be a big help to the team. A lot of the players have been spending time down at the practice facility, and the more they can work out together, the better off they’ll be when the season starts. Embiid and Ben Simmons can put in a lot of work together between now and training camp, laying the foundation for their partnership.

Embiid also told Kalland about his expectations for next season, and like you, his health and the playoff race will be a big focus:

What’s the next step for the Sixers as a team in “The Process” and your expectations for next season?

I think next year my expectation will be to stay healthy and the main thing will be to make the playoffs. I think next year we can definitely make that happen and I’m excited about it. I think it’s going to be a really fun season, especially for our fans and for the city and I can’t wait.

You can read the full interview here.