Josh Richardson Faces Another Tough Evaluation

The word "evaluation" doesn't really sit well for those who are fans of the Philadelphia 76ers. Considering the notable amount of significant injuries over the last few years, the uncertainty that comes with the keyword here makes it difficult to hope for the best.

As of late, the Sixers have been in a re-evaluation process with their starting center, Joel Embiid. As the veteran big man recovers from hand surgery due to a torn ligament, he has already experienced an evaluation with no return set in sight.

Now, the 76ers have another starter to add to the waiting list on Thursday. Early on during Wednesday night's battle between the Sixers and the Toronto Raptors, starting shooting guard, Josh Richardson had to make his way back to the locker room.

After appearing on the court for the first four minutes of the game, Richardson ended up dealing with pain in his right hamstring, which forced Sixers' head coach Brett Brown to call a timeout so the veteran could head back to the locker room to get it checked out.

Shortly after, the Sixers ruled Josh Richardson out for the remainder of the game. His absence was concerning, and the reasons why showed as the 76ers struggled to put together solid rotations with not one, but two starters out on Wednesday.

Having a shorthanded staff resulted in a tough loss for the 76ers on the road. Following the game, Richardson was available to speak, but the Sixers guard wasn't open to comment on his injury. Neither was the head coach.

According to The Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey, Richardson will be evaluated on Thursday to determine an official diagnosis and a potential timetable to reveal how much time Richardson could miss. This season, Richardson has already sat for eight games as he's dealt with a couple of lower-body setbacks earlier on in the year.

If he is going to miss more time moving forward, it would create a highly unfortunate scenario for the Sixers, who have a tough stretch of games coming up. The hope for Philly is that Richardson's hamstring will feel better before Saturday's late-night matchup, but right now, it seems as though that's a longshot.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_