The Portland Trail Blazers have some ways to go before they can enter the same room as the elites of the Western Conference, but last season showed they are trending toward a promising future.
More fans will tune in to watch the Blazers next season out of interest in watching Ja Morant try to turn around his career. The return of Damian Lillard will also generate plenty of storylines.
The Blazers made one big trade this offseason in acquiring Morant, demonstrating that the franchise aims to start contending in the West soon. But if the Blazers wanted to take a chance and truly accelerate their time, one wildly ambitious way to do it would be to swing for Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid.
The former MVP remains one of the most dominant offensive players in basketball when healthy (yes, that’s a major “when”), but if the Sixers are presented the opportunity to land an elite floor general next to stars Tyrese Maxey, Jaylen Brown and LeBron James, they could be open to dealing Embiid.
Here’s a hypothetical framework that could send Embiid to Portland.
Blazers receive: Joel Embiid
Sixers receive: Jrue Holiday, Robert Williams III and a 2031 first round pick
This trade is obviously hypothetical and would represent an enormous gamble for Portland, but if the Blazers get the best — and healthiest! — version of Embiid next season, they could suddenly go from a fringe playoff team to one that could make a deep run.
Why Portland Could Swing for 76ers’ Joel Embiid
GettyPHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – MARCH 25: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers dribbles the ball against Nick Richards #13 of the Chicago Bulls in the first quarter at Xfinity Mobile Arena on March 25, 2026 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
It has been said a bazillion times, but it only gets truer each time: When healthy, Embiid is still a franchise-changing player. The big man is a seven-time All-Star, five-time All-NBA selection and former MVP who has averaged 27.7 points, 11.0 rebounds and 4.3 assists over his career. The guy had over 70 points in a game, for crying out loud … and he only took two 3-pointers!
Embiid has averaged at least 30 points per game in three different seasons, including 33.1 points in 66 games during his MVP campaign in the 2022-23 season.
For the Blazers, this deal would allow them to use one of their four starting-caliber point guards to take a safer gamble, and moving Holiday would be the most logical given his age and contract. Holiday being out of the picture would leave Scoot Henderson, Morant and Lillard sharing minutes.
Embiid is owed roughly $58 million in 2026-27, followed by approximately $62.9 million in 2027-28 and a $69.1 million player option for the 2028-29 season. That is an enormous financial commitment for a player who is never guaranteed to be on the floor.
If Portland didn’t have some guards to trade, trading for Embiid would probably be too great a risk to take. But because they do, that gamble isn’t quite as daunting.
Would a starting lineup of Morant, Lillard, Deni Advija, either Donovan Clingan or Toumani Camara and Embiid make the Blazers a force in the West?
Why the 76ers Could Consider It
It’s simple. There’s one basketball, and the Sixers, with Embiid, have at least four guys that need it … a lot. Moving Embiid may make the Sixers a lot lighter in the frontcourt, but they would pick up an elite table-setter in Holiday. A strong argument could be made that Philadelphia doesn’t have a true point guard outside of the 6’9” James, who joined the franchise as a free agent in July.
Holiday is a two-time NBA champion and would give Philadelphia the perfect floor general who is also a proven playoff performer. We know what he does defensively.
Philadelphia would probably need to search for ways to add to their frontcourt if they were to trade Embiid, though Williams could provide some minutes, but the team would at least come away with a player whose impact on championship teams is no coincidence.
76ers Proposed to Trade Joel Embiid for 2x NBA Champ PG in Major Blazers Deal