Fans of the Golden State Warriors breathed a sigh of relief Friday night as Stephen Curry put pen to paper on a contract extension.
With Curry locked in through 2028, the Warriors can focus on landing a co-star to help their franchise icon chase a fifth NBA title. An intriguing Warriors trade idea doing the rounds would pair Curry with Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid.
Warriors Trade Idea Lands Joel Embiid
Warriors would receive: Joel Embiid
76ers would receive: Anthony Davis
Bucks would receive: Jimmy Butler
Wizards would receive: Will Richard, Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma
The trade allows the Warriors to hold onto Draymond Green, Kristaps Porzingis, rookie Yaxel Lendeborg, Brandin Podziemski, Moses Moody and the rest of their core pieces, giving Curry enough firepower to chase a title. The Warriors may not longer have the flexibility to open up a max cap slot next year, but with Green’s money coming off the books, they will still have ample space to make some noise in free agency.
Why the Warriors Do It
The fact that Embiid is also signed through the 2027-28 season with a player option in 2028-29 means he and Curry will be working on the same timeline.
The Warriors have not had a low-post big with the offensive skillset of Embiid in the Steve Kerr-Curry era, but there’s no reason to believe the 2023 NBA MVP won’t thrive in their system. His ability to stretch the floor and knock down middies could replicate some of the offense that they got from Kevin Durant during two title runs. In fact, Embiid can also pick up the slack for Jimmy Butler, who provided a different dynamic to Kerr’s offense with his midrange and ISO game.
Embiid’s health is an obvious concern. However, with the big man cleared for training camp, all signs point to him being the healthiest he’s been since his MVP season.
Joel Embiid Worth the Risk?
“I’m as confident as I’ve ever been,” Embiid said after the 76ers season ended in May.
“I think, obviously, [my knee] was the biggest concern, and I’m not thinking about it; and as long as we keep doing what we’ve been doing, I won’t have to think about it anymore.
“I’m looking at next year, obviously being more available,” he continued. “The personal goals, it doesn’t matter. I know that if I’m available and I play as much as possible, everything else is going to follow.”
LeBron James reportedly decided to sign with the Sixers when he found that Embiid, who didn’t undergo any surgery this offseason, is feeling as healthy as ever.
That, in itself, should be a telltale sign that Embiid could be worth the gamble for the Warriors.
Warriors Proposed to Land Joel Embiid in 4-Team Blockbuster Trade