Getty Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers shoots during the first quarter against the New York Knicks at Wells Fargo Center.
The New York Knicks are willing to offer a rich package for the reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, according to a Philadelphia Inquirer report on Tuesday.
The package could consist of three of their key players: two-time All-Star Julius Randle, RJ Barrett and Mitchell Robinson or Evan Fournier’s expiring deal.
“A trio from that group would be paired with two or three first-round picks,” Philadelphia Inquirer’s 76ers beat reporter Keith Pompey reported.
Embiid is now the clear-cut No. 1 priority for the Knicks after two-time NBA MVP Giannis Antetokounmpo agreed to a $183 million, three-year extension with the Milwaukee Bucks.
However, there is no indication that Embiid is available. If and when Embiid becomes available, Pompey noted that “the Sixers should be able to get better offers for Embiid. And it wouldn’t make sense to trade him to an Atlantic Division rival.”
Embiid, though, has a close relationship with Knicks president Leon Rose, who used to be his agent. Rose was among the few select guests at Embiid’s wedding this past summer.
“There is scuttlebutt in some corners of the league that Embiid wants to go to New York,” NBA insider Chris Broussard said on FS1’s “First Things First” on October 19.
With the Bucks and the Boston Celtics upgrading their rosters this offseason, the Knicks could crowd them if they can pair Embiid with their rising point guard Jalen Brunson.
Even if Randle, Barrett and Mitchell go out in the potential trade, the Knicks have enough depth to surround Embiid and Brunson.
They can still have a seven-to-eight-deep rotation with Sixth Man of the Year runner-up Immanuel Quickley, Quentin Grimes, Josh Hart, Donte DiVincenzo, Isaiah Hartenstein and Miles McBride.
Knicks Believe Joel Embiid Can Make Them a Title Contender
A potential pairing of Brunson and Embiid conjures a vision of at least an NBA Finals appearance for the Knicks.
“[With] Donovan Mitchell [last summer], they decided not to go all in,” ESPN’s Tim MacMahon said on the May 15 episode of “The Lowe Post” podcast. “They were willing to go a lot in, [but] they did not go all in because they did the calculus — or whatever you want to say — and did not feel like getting Donovan Mitchell to pair with Jalen Brunson put them in a championship position.
“I am pretty confident in saying that they feel like putting Joel Embiid on that roster with Jalen Brunson as their second-best player would give them a legitimate chance to win championships, and I believe that to be true despite the fact that what we just said about Joel Embiid and his history of playoff disappointments,” MacMahon added.
‘Sixers Are F***Cked’
The 76ers face enormous pressure to salvage their rapidly closing title window with Embiid with the James Harden drama still hanging over their heads.
“Oh, man, they are f***ed,” one front office source told Heavy Sports’ Steve Bulpett. “I’m telling you what, they are screwed.
“Daryl Morey’s not going to survive this.”
Only the Los Angeles Clippers are willing to trade for Harden. Morey is asking for a lot. But the Clippers are unwilling to give in to Morey’s demands, knowing they do not have any competition.