Superstar center and reigning MVP Joel Embiid has voiced his opinions about the Philadelphia 76ers. He could be the next NBA superstar getting traded.
The New York Knicks have not had a superstar since Carmelo Anthony. If the Knicks can pull off the trade for Embiid, a big three of Jalen Brunson, Julius Randle, and Embiid could take the Knicks to the promised lands and win the Finals, which has not been done since 1973.
Embiid has been linked to the Knicks for months now, and he has even gotten involved in the rumors. After the Knicks traded Obi Toppin to the Indiana Pacers, Embiid liked the tweet of the trade announcement. He also removed the 76ers from his Twitter bio.
What Would It Cost?
The Knicks have a lot of draft capital and young assets, which should entice the 76ers. There have been many rumored trade packages for the disgruntled superstar. However, the trade that fits both teams would be the Knicks acquiring Embiid, while the 76ers acquire Mitchell Robinson, Immanuel Quickley, Evan Fournier, Quentin Grimes, and four first-round picks.
This deal is great for the Knicks as they acquire one of the best players in the league and a huge upgrade at the center position. They also dump Fournier, who has severely underperformed as Knick and is not even a member of the rotation. Another positive for the Knicks is the draft picks, as historically and in recent years, the Knicks are not the best at drafting, and they still have a lot of draft capital. Also, they are still able to keep RJ Barrett, who is coming off of a solid season.
However, getting rid of Grimes and Quickley will be tough losses. Both guards are still young and promising, and Quickley was a potential sixth-man-of-the-year candidate. But, to get one of the best players in the league, you need to part ways with some good players.
This is a great trade for the 76ers as they can hit the reset button and acquire some young talent in Grimes and Quickley while acquiring some draft capital. Also, if they choose to keep Fournier, he can be a solid three-point shooter off the bench and a veteran to mentor the younger guys on the team.
Injury History
Acquiring a superstar like Embiid does have its risks, however. After spending only one year at the University of Kansas, the former Jayhawk missed his rookie season due to a stress fracture in his right foot. Throughout his career, the big man has dealt with numerous injuries, especially to his feet and knees.
Big Man Legacy
Historically, the Knicks have always had solid centers such as Willis Reed and Patrick Ewing. Not that these players will have hall-of-fame careers but Kristaps Porzingis, Tyson Chandler, and Amar’e Stoudemire were also solid for the Knicks.
In addition, if traded to the Knicks, Embiid will reunite with his former agent Leon Rose. Rose, after spending time as an agent for top players like Embiid, left to become the President of the New York Knicks.
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Brian Ramos is a contributor on Back Sports Page. Along with receiving his B.A. in Sports Communications, he has over a year of experience in the sports industry and has interviewed a variety of people in the sports industry, such as Julius Randle, Bobby Portis, Don La Greca, Adam Schefter, and others. In addition, to writing, Ramos has called women’s lacrosse and baseball on ESPN+. Ramos has a podcast on YouTube called Cut The Nets, along with his co-host Jeremy Gretzer. You can find Brian on Instagram at @Brian.ramos0219 and Twitter at @brianramos0219.
