The NBA has fined the Philadelphia 76ers $100,000 for listing Joel Embiid as “out” before he ultimately played in the team’s Nov. 30, 2025, game against the Atlanta Hawks. The league announced the fine on Wednesday, stating that the 76ers failed to accurately disclose Embiid’s availability in their initial injury report. Embiid then appeared in the game at Xfinity Mobile Arena in Philadelphia, where he played a season-high 30 minutes and scored 18 points during Atlanta’s 142–134 overtime win.
The $100,000 fine takes into account the 76ers’ previous violations of the league’s injury reporting rules. On Oct. 29, 2024, the NBA fined the team another $100,000 for misrepresenting why Embiid was unavailable before the 2024 season opener against the Denver Nuggets. In that situation, head coach Nick Nurse said Embiid was out because of the team’s “plan” and that he “did not re-injure himself,” while Daryl Morey, team president of basketball operations, said the decision was intended to support Embiid’s health for the playoffs by resting him in early regular-season games.
Earlier, in April 2024, Philadelphia received another $100,000 fine after the league said the team misrepresented Embiid’s status before a game against the Oklahoma City Thunder when he was unexpectedly downgraded after previous indications that he would play. In February 2024, the 76ers were fined $75,000 for failing to disclose Embiid’s knee soreness before a game against the Denver Nuggets.
The Nov. 30 game added further detail to the situation because Embiid had missed the previous nine games due to right knee soreness and was playing for the first time in three weeks. He did not complete the required pre-game update that was due at 5 p.m. before taking the floor and finishing with 18 points on 6-for-14 shooting, along with six rebounds and three assists. The Hawks were led by Trae Young, who scored 42 points in the 142–134 double-overtime result. Even though Embiid helped the 76ers climb back from an 18-point deficit, he did not play in the second overtime.
The league’s statement was distributed to team executives by NBA Executive Vice President of Communications John Skipper and was posted on NBA.com. The Associated Press reported that the memo was also sent to all 30 teams. The statement said, “The 76ers failed to accurately disclose the game availability status of Joel Embiid prior to their game against the Atlanta Hawks on Nov. 30. Embiid was listed as ‘Out’ in Philadelphia’s initial injury report and subsequently played in the game. The fine takes into account the 76ers’ prior history of violations.”
Embiid’s limited availability has remained a central factor for Philadelphia. He played only 19 games in the 2024–25 season before being shut down and later undergoing arthroscopic surgery on his left knee in April 2025. Entering the 2025–26 season, he missed significant time due to right-knee soreness and has appeared in just seven of the team’s first 20 games. Across those appearances, he has averaged 19.4 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 1.4 blocks in 24 minutes per game. At this point in the schedule, the 76ers hold an 11–9 record.
Following the matchup against Atlanta, Embiid sat out the next game against the Washington Wizards because of injury management. The 76ers’ next scheduled opponent is the Golden State Warriors.
