The Philadelphia 76ers could remain in pursuit of Kyle Lowry if he enters free agency, even given uncertainty over Joel Embiid's knee injury.

Embiid's injury "does not automatically rule out the 76ers' desire to pursue Lowry in a buyout if that becomes an option," according to NBA insider Marc Stein.

The Charlotte Hornets are reportedly considering buying out Lowry's contract if they cannot find a trade partner for the 37-year-old by Feb. 8.

Stein wrote that the 76ers "maintain a level of the interest" in Lowry even without a known return date for Embiid.

Shams Charania and Joe Vardon of The Athletic reported Embiid could miss "extended time" if he undergoes surgery on his left knee.

The Hornets acquired Lowry from the Miami Heat on Jan. 23 as part of a trade for guard Terry Rozier and a 2027 first-round pick.

Through 37 games with the Heat to start out his 18th NBA season, Lowry averaged 8.2 points, 4.0 assists and 3.5 rebounds in 28.0 minutes per night.

Although ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski wrote that the Hornets would prefer trading Lowry to buying out his contract, Lowry doesn't expect to stay in Charlotte. Yahoo Sports' Jake Fischer reported Lowry "is not expected to join the Hornets prior to the trade deadline... and will likely remain away from the franchise" until a final decision is made.

If Charlotte ends up working out a settlement with Lowry on what remains of his expiring $29.7 million salary, the 76ers might not be the only team pursuing the veteran guard in free agency. The Los Angeles Lakers and Orlando Magic are also interested, and the Magic have even "expressed exploratory trade interest" in Lowry, according to Stein.

The 76ers have a need for additional guard depth coming off the bench alongside Patrick Beverley, but given his age and decreased production Lowry would fit best in a limited role that a potential absence from Embiid might not allow.

As of Saturday, Embiid was "continuing to discuss" the best course of action to correct an injury diagnosed as "a type of tear of the meniscus," Charania and Vardon reported.

If the season ended today, the 30-18 Sixers would be heading for the playoffs for the seventh straight season, but the odds of them holding onto that position drop if Embiid is sidelined for an extended time. The reigning MVP was leading the league with 35.3 points per game prior to his injury.