Philadelphia 76ers big man Joel Embiid has not yet played this season because of a left knee condition, and his 2024-25 debut will now be delayed because of a suspension.

The NBA announced Tuesday it suspended Embiid for three games without pay "for shoving a member of the media" following Philadelphia's loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Saturday. The suspension will begin "with the next NBA regular-season game for which he is eligible and able to play," according to the league's statement.

ESPN's Shams Charania reported that Embiid is expected to make his season debut against the New York Knicks in Philadelphia's NBA Cup opener on Nov. 12.

ESPN reported on the altercation Saturday and noted Embiid was upset by a column written by Marcus Hayes of the Philadelphia Inquirer that mentioned the center's son and late brother, both named Arthur.

According to Adam Aaronson of PhillyVoice, the column has been edited but initially said the following:

"Joel Embiid consistently points to the birth of his son, Arthur, as the major inflection point in his basketball career. He often says that he wants to be great to leave a legacy for the boy named after his little brother, who tragically died in an automobile accident when Embiid was in his first year as a 76er. Well, in order to be great at your job, you first have to show up for work. Embiid has been great at just the opposite."

The ESPN report explained Embiid confronted Hayes and said, "The next time you bring up my dead brother and my son again, you are going to see what I'm going to do to you and I'm going to have to ... live with the consequences."

He also rejected an apology, said he didn't care about reporters' opinions, and then raised his voice and eventually pushed Hayes when the columnist responded by saying, "but you do."

The entire interaction came just one day after Embiid expressed his frustration with the narrative that he is actively choosing not to play as he deals with knee concerns:

While Embiid played in the 2024 Paris Olympics and helped lead the United States to a gold medal, he has yet to play this season. The NBA investigated the situation and fined the team $100,000 for "inconsistent" public statements regarding his health. But it also determined Embiid has been dealing with an actual knee issue that has prevented him from taking the court.

Still, there has been plenty of focus on Embiid and the 76ers, especially during their 1-5 start to the season. His altercation with Hayes and the ensuing suspension is just the latest development.

"Mutual respect is paramount to the relationship between players and media in the NBA," NBA executive vice president and head of basketball operations Joe Dumars said in the announcement. "While we understand Joel was offended by the personal nature of the original version of the reporter's column, interactions must remain professional on both sides and can never turn physical."