Sixers coach Nick Nurse pressed on team’s lack of transparency about Joel Embiid, Paul George availability

Nick Nurse looked uneasy as he was placed in yet anther uncomfortable situation.

The 76ers coach was asked Wednesday if it is fair that fans buying tickets don’t know whether Joel Embiid, who has missed 46% of regular-season games in his career, is going to play on a given night.

“Um, phew. That’s a big question to lead off with,” Nurse said. “Listen, um, our guys are working out. They are making progress. They’re going to have workouts tomorrow, Friday. We hope to have a better indication where they are by then. I’ll update you then.”

Since he gave a nonanswer, Nurse was asked a second time if he thought it was fair that people are buying tickets without knowledge of whether Embiid and George will play.

“They are listed as out,” Nurse said. “Within the league guidelines, we have to list them. That’s why the league has those guidelines.”

» READ MORE: The Sixers plan to sit Joel Embiid early and often. They should give fans refunds for games without him.

Embiid remains sidelined for left knee injury management. The team announced Tuesday that Embiid and Paul George (left knee bone bruise) would remain sidelined for Wednesday’s contest against the Detroit Pistons.

NBA teams have to list players on the injury report the day before games. Nurse was told that many fans buy their tickets earlier than that.

“Well, we don’t have all the information all of the time,” Nurse said. “The reason you do it the day before is because you want to make sure.”

The coach added that everything is always fluid when pressed about Embiid and the Sixers' plan for the star center to not play both games in back-to-backs. But at this point, Nurse imagines that the 2023 league MVP won‘t play in both games during the Sixers’ first back-to-back. That’ll be Nov. 12-13, when the Sixers host the New York Knicks and Cleveland Cavaliers.

He also said he expects to get a clearer idea on Friday when Embiid and George will return.

“Again, they’ve been on the court,” said Nurse, whose squad entertains the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday (7:30 p.m., NBCSP). “They’re improving. We got some practice time in between some games this week, fortunately. And we hope to have a really good read by Friday whether or not they will be able to be available for Saturday or for the West Coast or whatever.”

After facing the Grizzlies, the Sixers will head out West to face the Phoenix Suns (Monday), the Los Angeles Clippers (Nov. 6) and the Lakers (Nov. 8).

But Nurse’s comments came one day after the Sixers were fined $100,000 for “inconsistent” statements on Embiid’s health.

The investigation confirmed that Embiid had been unable to play because of a left knee injury. That means his absence does not violate the player participation policy.

» READ MORE: Nick Nurse snaps at question about health of Joel Embiid, Paul George: ‘I‘m not going to answer’

On Wednesday, the coach was asked why, to his knowledge, was the organization fined? Nurse said he was unaware that the organization was fined. He then declined to answer when questioned about the team’s decision to say Embiid was on schedule. Of course, the league confirmed this week that Embiid is unable to play.

“I’m going to have to punt that one,” he said. “You are going to have to ask [team president of basketball operations] Daryl [Morey] or [Sixers chief communications officer] Dave [Sholler] or [general manager] Elton [Brand] or somebody else. Like I said, I didn’t even know that we got fined yesterday.

“I got a game, and several games to coach, and lots of things going on.”