Is Zion Williamson the answer for the 76ers in their desperate title chase?
The mandate to win a championship in Philadelphia is stronger than ever before. With Embiid having already shown morsels of willingness to relocate to a better situation, winning will be the best thing that can dissuade him from ever leaving the Sixers’ confines.
If so, dangling a disgruntled Harden who has absolutely zero motivation to win with the 76ers for a young powerhouse like Williamson will be a massive win. If managing to move Harden will already be tossed up as a win, swooping in Zion in return would be like winning the lottery for the franchise.
Williamson, one of the league’s most intriguing athletic specimens, touts mind-boggling career numbers of 26 points, seven rebounds, and 4.6 assists per game on a stout 60.8 percent shooting from the field, which includes a respectable 36.8 percent slip from downtown on small volume. Clearly, an Embiid-Williamson frontline would decimate defenses and give the 76ers the best frontcourt in the league that can swiftly expedite and fasten them to contention when healthy.
Also, including the upcoming season, Williamson is inked for five more years. That in itself is a plenty attractive detail that should be able to overshadow perhaps any red flag that Zion brings or can bring alongside him.
Lastly, flinging an unprotected first-rounder, two draft pick swap rights (which will most likely be in the 20s for Philly), and a forgettable second-rounder should not make the front office sweat one bit. After all, seizing an MVP-level player in Williamson is a massive win in itself.