Joel Embiid will leave behind a legacy of offensive dominance, but also a career defined by “what ifs?” Whether the Philadelphia 76ers want to admit it or not, the 2023 MVP's elite two-way talent is diminishing due to a string of unfortunate injuries that, at this point, seem like some form of witchcraft. Even his recent scoring outbursts against the Boston Celtics have left defensive frailties that the Sixers cannot ignore. Moving away from the Joel Embiid 'process' may be the only option.
Embiid's lack of mobility does not fit the modern-day NBA
There was a time when a player of Embiid's caliber would be given one responsibility: score in bunches. Tallying ridiculous point totals while other players made up for his defensive issues would be an effective tactic. Not now. The modern-day NBA requires players to thrive in a two-way role. If a lineup has a weak link on defense, the opposition will isolate and expose the problem. Unfortunately for Embiid, his lack of mobility is forcing him into being that target.
Over the course of his career, this has never been an issue for the 32-year-old, who has averaged 10.8 rebounds and 1.6 blocks per game, including over the past two seasons, despite a significant decline in his production on that end of the floor. Both Embiid's knee injury and his appendectomy will likely take a physical and mental toll on a player who usually welcomes a physical matchup.
The 2025–26 postseason has been a clear example of offenses exposing Embiid’s weaknesses, particularly in the Game 3 108–94 loss to the New York Knicks. In his prime, Embiid would bully a player like Karl-Anthony Towns by swatting shots, keeping him out of the paint, and consistently drawing fouls attacking the rim. Now, Towns blows past him inside, and when stretching the floor, Embiid falls into a drop coverage, unable to make up the yards to contest the shot.
Trading Embiid would be difficult, yet beneficial
I have heard the comments before, "When Joel Embiid puts up 40, stay on that side." This is no roast of the player. The reality is that the Philadelphia 76ers have a partnership in Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe that could be the future of the franchise. The front office has a responsibility to construct a capable roster around them to mount a championship challenge. Unfortunately, this cannot happen with Embiid's remaining $187,873,836 contract on the balance sheet.
Removing this contract from the situation would allow for flexibility in the offseason to create a squad that benefits the ascending duo. But in the same breath, which franchise in their right mind would take a superstar who struggles to stay healthy for this price? This would only leave the team in the same position the 76ers have found themselves in recently: relying on a dominant offensive talisman who is only available sporadically.
Philadelphia has a few ways it could handle Embiid’s departure. One is to use a significant amount of draft capital, including the Houston Rockets' 2026 First-Round pick, which they acquired when trading Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Secondly, the organization could bide its time by accumulating draft picks through trading any remaining assets, while hoping an Expansion Draft arrives in 2028 and leaving its superstar unprotected for selection.
Either solution is far from perfect and arguably creates more problems than it solves. If the question is whether trading Embiid will allow Maxey and Edgecombe to develop, then giving away assets cannot be the answer.
While moving into a new era in Philadelphia makes sense given Joel Embiid’s physical decline, the chances of finding a team willing to absorb his contract are slim. However, the 76ers must create an effective solution, or they will never escape this constant cycle of mediocrity.
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