Joel Embiid has surgery to repair torn meniscus in left knee

CHICAGO -- Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid had minor surgery on his left knee Friday to repair a torn meniscus.

Embiid should be able to transition to full weight-bearing workouts in about two weeks, according to a statement from Dr. Neal S. ElAttrache, who performed the surgery in Los Angeles.

The 23-year-old rookie has had a long history with injuries in his short career. It was announced March 1 that he would miss the rest of the season.

"He deserves some luck," 76ers coach Brett Brown said before Friday's game against the Chicago Bulls. "He's been through a lot, and he's a different person than his first injury."

After missing the first two seasons of his career because of right foot injuries, Embiid played in 31 games this season. He was averaging 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds and 2.5 blocks in 25.4 minutes. His last game was Jan. 27 in Houston.

He did not play more than 30 minutes in a game this season, but he still had nine double-doubles and scored at least 20 points in 19 of his 31 games.

The No. 3 overall pick from the 2014 draft could still be a rookie of the year candidate because of his strong performance when healthy, although teammate Dario Saric also has emerged as another choice.