Joel Embiid is day-to-day with a rest issue and will not play in Saturday's exhibition at the Celtics, according to the injury report. The 76ers will go without their center for the preseason matchup, leaning on their perimeter rotation to cover the minutes.
What happened
Embiid is listed as day-to-day with a rest issue, per an injury report update at 7:17 p.m. ET Saturday. Tony Jones of The Athletic reports Embiid is out for Saturday's exhibition against the Celtics due to rest. The move follows a short back-and-forth on the report: Embiid was day-to-day with a rest issue on Oct. 5, then cleared from day-to-day status on Oct. 8. He is now back on the report two days later. The report lists his expected return as Oct. 16.
What it means for the 76ers
Philadelphia is at the Celtics on Saturday at 8 p.m. ET, with the game airing on NBA TV. Last season Embiid averaged 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds and 3.9 assists in 31.6 minutes across 38 games. Without him, the 76ers' rotation shifts toward Tyrese Maxey (38.0 minutes, 28.3 points), VJ Edgecombe (35.0 minutes, 16.0 points), Kelly Oubre Jr. (31.5 minutes, 14.1 points) and Paul George (30.7 minutes, 17.3 points), with Quentin Grimes, Dominick Barlow, Andre Drummond and Adem Bona also absorbing minutes. The 2026-27 season has not started, so there is no regular-season record with or without Embiid yet.
What to watch
The next injury report will show whether Embiid's rest designation changes before Philadelphia's remaining preseason games. His expected return is listed as Oct. 16, which is not yet announced as a game date. Until then, his status is day-to-day, not out for an extended stretch.
Is Joel Embiid playing against the Celtics?
No. Embiid is out for Saturday's exhibition against the Celtics with a rest issue, according to the injury report.
When will Joel Embiid be back?
The injury report lists his expected return as Oct. 16. His current status is day-to-day.