Joel Embiid and the 76ers are consulting doctors and considering alternative options, including surgery, on his injured left knee, an NBA source confirmed to CBS News Philadelphia. ESPN first reported the news. 

The news comes as Embiid sat the entire fourth quarter in Philadelphia's loss at the buzzer to the Brooklyn Nets on Saturday night at the Wells Fargo Center. He was slow to get up late in the third quarter against Brooklyn after he lost the ball and hit the court. 

Embiid is scheduled to have tests on his knee early this week. Embiid has been getting injections in his left knee regularly along with other treatments but his left knee hasn't improved. The 2022-23 NBA MVP has admitted recently that he's been struggling with the knee injury and has hinted at having surgery to "fix the problem."

Embiid has also dealt with a foot sprain and a sinus fracture in the 2024-25 season. He's only played in 19 of 56 possible games due to injuries and a three-game suspension after he shoved a Philadelphia Inquirer columnist. Embiid is questionable for Monday night's game against the Chicago Bulls with left knee injury management.

Embiid and the Sixers entered the season with high expectations following an offseason in which the team inked nine-time All-Star Paul George to a max contract and signed rising star Tyrese Maxey to a contract extension. But the team has been plagued by injuries and struggled on the court. Embiid also signed a three-year, $192 million contract extension in the offseason. The Sixers are 20-36, have lost seven straight and are 12th in the Eastern Conference, which is just outside the NBA's Play-In Tournament. 

In 19 games this season, Embiid is averaging 23.8 points, which is his lowest mark since the 2019-20 season. He's also averaging 8.2 rebounds and shooting 44.4% from the field. 

Last season, Embiid also missed a significant number of games after he tore the meniscus in his left knee. He played 39 regular season games, had surgery on his left knee in February and then returned in time for Philadelphia's loss in the first round of the playoffs against the New York Knicks. 

Embiid then won the gold medal with the United States over the summer and missed the first nine games of the season the 2024-25 season due to managing his injured left knee. 

Embiid potentially having surgery or missing an extended period of time will have ramifications on the team's first-round pick in the 2025 NBA draft. The Sixers' first-round pick is top-six protected. If it doesn't fall within the first six picks, it goes to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Philadelphia's loss to the Nets on Saturday put the Sixers in sole possession of the sixth-worst record in the NBA.