Embiid disappointed his minutes limit will be 'in the teens'

Joel Embiid will once again be on a minutes restriction this season, but how restricted are we talking?

Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown can't say for sure, but offered an estimation Monday.

"I don't really know if there's a solid number," he told reporters, according to NBC Sports Philadelphia's Jessica Camerato. "I can tell if you were to choose a number, it's somewhere in the teens."

Embiid wasn't happy to hear he'd be playing even less than last year.

"I didn't know about that, but that's very disappointing," Embiid said. "I feel great and hopefully that changes based on today's practice and tomorrow's practice."

Brown noted the range, however rough, is fluid and could change depending on the pace of games.

"There's a little bit of a looseness ... it doesn't have to be rigid if the game didn't dictate some track meet," he said, later adding:

"There will be some minutes restrictions, but it's also a judgement of how is the game being played, not just looking at (a) rote, rigid number."

The team may be wise to err on the side of caution when it comes to the 23-year-old center's health, as he sat out for two full seasons due to foot injuries after being drafted third overall in 2014. He made his NBA debut last season, averaging an astounding 20.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 2.5 blocks, and 2.1 assists while being limited to just 25.4 minutes.

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Embiid's rookie campaign lasted just 31 games, however, as he underwent knee surgery in March. More recently, he suited up in two preseason games, but has been dealing with an ankle sprain and has yet to be fully cleared for Wednesday's season opener against the Washington Wizards.