The Philadelphia 76ers are a team to watch during the 2024 NBA offseason. It is widely assumed that they will look to find another star to pair alongside Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey with the $74 million in cap space they can potentially open up. But, things could go haywire. What if Philadelphia whiffs and Embiid becomes frustrated with the direction of the franchise? Embiid requesting a trade is not an outlandish outcome, and the New York Knicks and Oklahoma City Thunder would quickly knock on the Sixers' door if that were to happen.
To be fair, Embiid requesting a trade is not a very likely outcome either. But, after years of constant chaos and playoff disappointments, it can't be ruled out either. Joel Embiid is a great player who should be playing on the grandest of stages in the postseason. The Sixers can help him get there this offseason. But if they fail, maybe his days in Philadelphia become numbered.
Joel Embiid to the New York Knicks?
The place that would make the most sense for Joel Embiid if he wants out of Philadelphia is Madison Square Garden. The Knicks have done an amazing job turning around their franchise on the fly. They've done well accumulating assets, hitting on draft picks, and nailing free-agent signings like Jalen Brunson and Isaiah Hartenstein.
However, they still have ammunition to play with. The Knicks have control over all of their future draft picks and have four additional firsts in their arsenal. Two of those are protected picks of the Pistons and Wizards that may never convey. However, New York does have Dallas' first-round pick this year and Milwaukee's first next year.
Pair that with an All-NBA caliber player in Julius Randle and supplementary players like Mitchell Robinson and Miles McBride and suddenly the Knicks can present Philadelphia with a substantial trade package for Joel Embiid.
Not only would he be a perfect fit on that team, but the Knicks might need him. They can get outbid this summer by rival teams for Isaiah Hartenstein and lose him for nothing. New York still has Robinson to fall back on, but he's had plenty of injuries throughout his career he's had to deal with.
The Knicks made it to Game 7 of the second round with Randle and likely would've advanced if their team had not gotten wiped out by injuries. If they can make it that far without him, imagine the possibilities if they swapped him (and Robinson) out for Embiid. New York could become a favorite in the East if this trade were to happen. Watch out for them if things get weird in Philadelphia.
Oklahoma City Thunder
The Thunder don't *have* to make a big trade any time soon. They've already arrived as legitimate contenders with one of the youngest rosters in the NBA. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander is one of the five or 10 best players in the league and Chet Holmgren and Jalen Williams are already stars in their own right. They don't have to do anything anytime soon.
But, the Thunder also have a million extra draft picks that they can't possibly all use. If there was a star to throw a majority of their chips on the table to get, Joel Embiid would be the one. They badly needed physicality down low on the glass in their loss to the Dallas Mavericks. Embiid provides that in spades.
He and Holmgren paired together could form the most dynamic frontcourt in the NBA. The Thunder likely will opt to play the long game, but Joel Embiid could make the Thunder arguably the best team in the Western Conference immediately with a prolonged window to compete for a title.
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