Sixes star center Joel Embidwho missed the first four games of the season and has been ruled out for Saturday’s tilt game against Memphis due to “management of left knee injuries,” told reporters Friday that his goal is to make sure he feels fully comfortable at his surgery repaired leg. knee before making his season debut, as Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports writes.

“I want to be at my best. I don’t want to be in a situation where I’m afraid that if I do this, I might do something, anything. Embid said. “I’ve mentioned it since the last surgery, I’ve mentioned it so many times, it was probably the toughest mentally. I think mentally I’m just working on getting that confidence back. It used to be just easy. But for some reason this is like mentally trusting yourself and your body. And I think that’s really what I do.

“I’m almost there,” he continued. “And then we are on the same page with the team. I listen to them, they listen to me and see how everything reacts. I did quite well, going up and down five-on-five, and today was a great session with the whole team.”

According to ESPN’s Shams Charania (Twitter video link), Embiid experienced some “minor swelling” in his left knee during the preseason, which is one reason the Sixers have taken a cautious approach with him this fall.

The former MVP had been scrimmaging for a few days, but Friday’s practice marked a big step forward because it was a live-action five-on-five session with teammates, instead of 76ers staffers.

While it sounds like Embiid’s absence won’t extend much beyond Saturday’s game, he was hesitant to name a specific target date for his return, as Neubeck recounts.

“It’s unpredictable,” said the big man. “You can have good days, you can have bad days, so I think it would be a little bit silly for me to sit there and say, ‘Oh, I’m playing on Tuesday,’ and you don’t know. I played today and it responds: you still get back into the game shape, you still get back to yourself.

“You have to feel 100% because I think over the years I have done a lot and put myself at risk for the team, which I will continue to do. But now it’s time to make sure everything is great, and that’s the trend. It’s pretty good right now, everyone is on the right track, and so we can keep going and have a long season and some great years.”

Embiid has been criticized from some quarters for his continued absence this fall, with Marcus Hayes of The Philadelphia Inquirer writing multiple columns accusing the 30-year-old of a lack of professionalism and criticizing the Sixers for their lack of transparency.

Embiid, who said he’s doing what’s best for his body, pointed out that he’s had multiple injuries and early returns from others over the course of his career. He took exception to some of the criticism he faced and mentioned Hayes by name in his comments to reporters.

“When I see people say, ‘He doesn’t want to play,'” Embid said. ‘I’ve done way too much for this city and I run the risk of people saying that. I really think it’s bulls-t. Like that guy, Marcus, whatever his name is, I’ve done way too much to let this damn city treat me like that. Done way too much. I wish I was as lucky as others, but that doesn’t mean I don’t try, and that I don’t do whatever it takes to be there, which I will be here soon.

Like Embiid, Sixers moving forward Paul George has missed the club’s first four games and will not be available on Saturday due to the bone bruise in his left knee. He is also on track for a return, telling reporters on Friday that he is in the final stages of his rehabilitation process.

“I think right now it’s more just cardio, preparing the fitness so that when I come back I don’t get injured because I’m tired and fatigued,” George said, according to Neubeck. “I had a really good two days where I was finally on the field and able to practice and run hard and perform live, so the knee feels really good so far.”