"There's really no timeline" - Joel Embiid drops somber update on his return from injury amid 76ers 3-7 record in last 10 games

Joel Embiid's meniscus injury caused quite a bit of concern regarding the Philadelphia 76ers chances of making a postseason run. The situation left many wondering whether the 76ers postseason hopes had been crushed, however, according to Embiid himself, he plans to return to action this season if possible. With the Olympics on the horizon, he simply wants to hoop.

Since then, the 76ers have struggled, falling to sixth place in the Eastern Conference, where they sit tied with the Miami Heat. With the Indiana Pacers sitting just behind them in seventh place, the situation has seemed rather bleak for the team.

This week, while speaking with media members, Joel Embiid was asked about his potential timeline for a return. From the sounds of things, despite his desire to play, there's no timeline on when he could potentially return to action.

"That's the plan. Obviously, everything has to go right as far as getting healthy... There's really no timeline... It all depends on how it feels... If it feels great, then it's good. If it doesn't feel like it's right, then you gotta keep going.

"I just love playing basketball. I want to be on the floor as much as possible. I only have about 20 years to do this. Any chance that I get, I want to be on the floor, so it doesn't matter where we are ... I just want to play as much as we can and try to help us."

Looking at Joel Embiid's injury history and the Philadelphia 76ers chances in the Eastern Conference

Joel Embiid's career has been largely defined by his dominance as a player, and his struggles to stay healthy. While he has continued to evolve, and take his game to increasingly new heights, he has dealt with a slew of injuries.

In addition to the right foot injury that kept him sidelined for the first few years of his NBA career, Embiid has dealt with a left meniscus tear in the past. Back in 2017, Embiid tore his left meniscus, resulting in surgery to address the matter.

In 2021, he then dealt with a partially torn meniscus in his right knee that made headlines as well. With the latest injury to Joel Embiid's left meniscus, it's clear that the big man has been through quite a lot.

While he has proven that when healthy he can impact winning at the highest level, the question will be whether or not the 76ers can stay afloat in his absence. When looking at the NBA standings, just half a game separates fifth place in the East from eighth-place in the East.

Given that, the pressure will be on the Philadelphia 76ers to stave off a play-in appearance in order to give Embiid more time to recover between now and the playoffs.