Getty Joel Embiid
While there have been no indications that Joel Embiid wants out, the Philadelphia 76ers have to consider their options if he decides he needs a change of scenery. Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus proposed a trade involving Embiid to help the Sixers transition into a rebuild.
Pincus proposed the following trade between the Sixers and Oklahoma City Thunder.
Thunder receive: Embiid
Sixers receive: Holmgren, Victor Oladipo, Dāvis Bertāns, Isaiah Joe, 2024 first-round pick, 2025 Sixers first-round pick, Clippers 2026 first-round pick, 2024 Rockets second-round pick, Sixers 2025 second-round pick, Rockets 2030 second-round pick
Pincus explained why the Sixers would potentially go this route with their squad while listing some of the other assets they have at their disposal.
“For the Sixers, it’s a question of direction. Is the goal to rebuild around Tyrese Maxey, or do they try to quickly field a team of veterans to chase a playoff spot? Philadelphia might want to get players like Giddey or Williams, but the Thunder have more than enough draft compensation—perhaps even to substitute Luguentz Dort instead of Holmgren.
“That list of picks includes the Sixers’ own in 2025 (with protections), plus various firsts from the L.A. Clippers, Houston Rockets, Utah Jazz, Miami Heat, and Denver Nuggets.”
Holmgren was the No. 2 pick in the 2022 NBA Draft but missed the 2022-23 season because of a foot injury.
Morey May Be ‘Covertly Hoping For’ Rebuild: Insider
On August 18, Yahoo Sports’ Vincent Goodwill reported that there are people in the NBA who believe that Embiid may not only want out soon but that Daryl Morey may want a rebuild.
“Embiid has said all the right things publicly, but there has to be some residual fatigue in his entire 76ers experience. Morey is responsible for only the past few years, but in totality, many around the league believe Embiid will ask out sooner rather than later — and that a full rebuild is what Morey is covertly hoping for,” Goodwill wrote.
Morey has participated in rebuilds before during his time with the Rockets. Following Yao Ming’s career being tragically cut short from injury and Tracy McGrady no longer a superstar, Morey ultimately had to start a rebuild by collecting assets. That led to the Rockets acquiring James Harden from the Thunder in 2012. The Rockets may not have won a title during the Harden era, but they had prolonged success with him running the ship.
Kevin McHale Feels Sorry for Joel Embiid
While talking with Heavy Sports’ Steve Bulpett, Harden’s former coach Kevin McHale explained why he felt sorry for Embiid. McHale told Bulpett that teams that are fractured, like the Sixers, never win as currently constructed, which is difficult for players like Embiid.
“The person I mostly feel bad for is Joel Embiid,” McHale told Bulpett. “This guy’s coming off an MVP season, but when you’re team is fractured at the top — when one of the top two players is like, ‘I’m out of here. The guy’s a liar’ — you’ve got no chance of winning. It’s really hard to win when you’re tied together as a group, and it’s really hard to win four seven-game series. That’s with everybody tied together, everybody pulling together.”
McHale coached Harden from 2012 to 2015 in Houston.