76ers shut down Embiid for remainder of season

The Philadelphia 76ers are back at square one with their injured prospects.

The team announced Wednesday that they will shut down center Joel Embiid for the remainder of his much-anticipated rookie season after an MRI of his left knee revealed a more severe meniscus tear than originally detected.

"The assessment of Monday's follow-up MRI of Joel Embiid's left knee appears to reveal that the area affected by the bone bruise has improved significantly, while previously identified meniscus tear appears more pronounced in this most recent scan," said Sixers Chief Medical Director Dr. Jonathan Glashow.

Embiid was the runaway favorite to win Rookie of the Year, but he only played in one game since Jan. 20 since injuring his knee. The Sixers performed close to .500 with Embiid in the lineup, but after falling out of the playoff race, there was little point in putting the 22-year-old further in harm's way by playing him this season.

Waiting on Embiid is nothing new for Sixers fans. The prodigally talented center sat out his first two seasons with a broken foot. He showed more than enough ability in his 31 appearances this season to reward their patience.

"Our primary objective and focus remains to protect his long-term health and ability to perform on the basketball court," Sixers president Bryan Colangelo said in the release.

Embiid averaged 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, and 2.5 blocks in just 25.4 minutes per game this season.