After recent rumors it is possible that the 76ers may move on from the 2023 NBA MVP eventually. Here are 3 teams that should trade for Joel Embiid as soon as he becomes available, whether it's this season or next.
Over the last 3 seasons Joel Embiid has been one of the best players in the NBA averaging 30.9 points, 10.8 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1 steal, 1.5 blocks on 52/36/84 shooting splits. He led the league in scoring the past two seasons, finished second in the MVP voting twice, and won the MVP last season.
As impressive as his regular seasons have been, Embiid has come up small in the playoffs as he has not gotten past the second round at any point in his career. The 76ers tried changing things up by getting additional help like Tobias Harris, Jimmy Butler and James Harden but it still hasn't been enough.
As Embiid's star teammate James Harden has made it clear he would like to be traded to the Clippers it may be time for the 76ers to also trade Joel Embiid if they cannot build a championship contender around him. Here are 3 teams that should trade for Joel Embiid.
3 teams that should trade for Joel Embiid: Cleveland Cavaliers
The Cleveland Cavaliers had one of the best offseasons last year as they pulled off a trade to acquire star shooting guard Donovan Mitchell from the Utah Jazz. They paired him up with two All-Stars in Darius Garland and Jarrett Allen and with one of the rising young talents in the league in Evan Mobley.
The Cavaliers were projected to be one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference and they exceeded expectations as they finished with a record of 51-31 which was tied for fifth best in the league. At the time they were a potential threat to win the East but got upset in the first round and lost to the Knicks in 5 games.
The Cavs were a piece away from being contenders, but what better piece to add than the 2023 MVP. As great as the Cavs are, they don't have a superstar — a player that you can rely on to carry your team to a championship. Joel Embiid is exactly that.
In order for this trade to be pulled off the Cavaliers would have to give up Jarrett Allen and potentially Evan Mobley. They will get that back tenfold for receiving Joel Embiid. They will get all of Allen's and Mobley's defensive ability but more importantly they receive generational offensive talent from Embiid.
The presence of Embiid alone will improve the team but he will also be the best player that Donovan Mitchell has ever played for. Mitchell is used to being the best player on the team and why he himself hasn't gotten past the second round. Playing alongside Embiid, and known for being a great playoff performer, will drastically increase the Cavs chances of winning an NBA Championship.
3 teams that should trade for Joel Embiid: Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder have failed to be in championship contention ever since Kevin Durant left them during the 2016 Free Agency period. Going into this season it seemed the Thunder were going nowhere, as they were projected to win 26 games, but they shocked the world finishing with a record of 40-42 and made the Play-in.
The Thunder had a breakout season due to their fast pace but more importantly the play of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. He had is best season of his career averaging 31.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, 5.5 assists on 51/35/91 splits and was selected First Team All-NBA. Shai also has one of the best rookies alongside him in Jalen Williams and another great all-around player in Josh Giddey.
The Thunder are expected to take another leap this year as the second-overall pick in the 2022 NBA Draft, Chet Holmgren, should play this season. The Thunder could become legit championship contenders by trading for Joel Embiid instead of waiting for Chet to develop.
In order to pull off this trade, the Thunder would have to center the trade around Chet Holmgren, Luguentz Dort, and some of the 16 first-round picks they have up until 2030. Pairing Shai and Joel Embiid would instantly make them one of the best duos in the league and would make the Thunder serious contenders.
One area that the Thunder really struggled in was paint presence as the majority of their big men weigh less than 225 pounds. Embiid will fix all of their big men struggles as he's one of the best two-way players in the league.
Also, another aspect that the Thunder can provide Embiid that the 76ers have struggled to is their depth. Having players like Giddey, Williams, Isaiah Joe, and Kenrich Williams are huge for Championship teams as those players are fully capable of stepping up on the big stage.
If the Thunder want a chance of winning a championship right now, they should seriously consider trading for Embiid if he becomes available.
3 teams that should trade for Joel Embiid: New York Knicks
The New York Knicks have been one of the worst franchises in basketball ever since the turn of the millennium and have only had two 50 win seasons in that span. For two over the last three seasons, the Knicks have finished with a top-5 record in the East and surprised fans and pundits last year as they upset the Cavaliers in the first round.
The Knicks had a very successful season last year mainly because of Jalen Brunson's development and Julius Randle's bounce back campaign. They also received contributions from Mitchell Robinson, Isaiah Hartenstein, Jericho Sims, RJ Barrett and Sixth Man of the Year candidate Immanuel Quickley. Great hustle form Josh Hart and impressive coaching from Tom Thibodeau didn't hurt, either.
The Knicks were unable to make drastic offseason improvements as many star players were not available but, if Joel Embiid is for hire, the Knicks should jump at the opportunity. He is just the superstar that the city of New York desperately needs.
The Knicks would have to center a trade package around Julius Randle, Mitchell Robinson, potentially either RJ Barrett or Immanuel Quickley, and a bunch of picks for Embiid. Embiid will be able to give New York an advanced version of Randle's offense, along with the same tenacity of Robinson on defense.
Embiid will benefit greatly from playing alongside Jalen Brunson. Brunson has shown he is fully capable of leading a team to the playoffs and winning a playoff series in both New York and Dallas.
The Knicks are a deep team. Having the extra depth will allow Embiid to not exert himself as much in the regular season so he can be fully healthy for the postseason. The Knicks have the best trade package in the league for Embiid and should be his top option if he does demand a trade.