You might not care for the Anthony Davis trade rumors that popped up the moment the Philadelphia 76ers were getting linked to LeBron James’ free agency sweepstakes, but they might not be something that’s easy to avoid when they come back around in the fall.
Currently, Davis is reported as content with his situation on the Washington Wizards. But without that extension in place, we all know that his mood can change quickly. ESPN is already tossing out that a slow start to the 2026-2027 NBA season could lead to Davis seeking a trade. If and when that happens, the Sixers are going to be the easy target in rumors.
Connections are too strong
When you add LeBron James, you inherit the endless rumors that link his former teammates to your team. James and Davis were close when they played together on the Los Angeles Lakers, and they won a championship together in 2020.
While they split years later, when Davis was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in the deal that netted LA Luka Doncic, there were plenty of rumors that suggested that LeBron wanted to reunite with Anthony Davis on the Golden State Warriors. The Wizards weren’t open to cutting ties with the big man before seeing him in action with them for the first time.
The Sixers didn’t need to worry about that, having Joel Embiid on the roster. But if Embiid is still struggling to stay consistent with his appearances due to setbacks, and the Wizards’ recent retool isn’t impressive out of the gate, then the AD-Sixers rumors will inevitably happen. You don’t have to embrace it—but brace for it.
Should Joel Embiid be worried?
From a Sixers standpoint, trading away Joel Embiid doesn’t make much sense at this point. Due to his contract, the Sixers are going to have to attach assets to satisfy a team for taking on his massive three-year, $187.8 million deal that hasn’t even started yet. When healthy, Embiid is still one of the best scorers in the game. It would be difficult for the Sixers to give up picks while offloading a future franchise legend to satisfy a player who will be in Philly for two seasons, tops.
Let’s also not forget who Anthony Davis is at this point in his career. If there is one player who deals with the same issues as Embiid, it’s AD. When healthy—dominant and game-changing. However, rarely healthy. Davis played in 76 games during the 2023-2024 season with the Lakers. After appearing in 42 games with LA in 2024-2025, he played in only nine games with the Mavs.
Last season, Davis played in 20 games with the Mavs before getting traded to the Wizards while recovering from a setback. He never debuted for the team. Since the 2024-2025 season, Davis has played 71 games. Embiid has appeared in 64 games over that same timeline.
I find it hard to believe the Sixers would want to trade Embiid at all. They already rolled the dice with him so much, you might as well keep going. On the other side, it’s difficult to imagine that the Wizards would want to take on that kind of deal. Of course, Washington wants to contend in 2026-2027, but they don’t have to make that kind of all-or-nothing move. Any team looking to acquire Embiid should believe they can win as early as next year. That’s not the Wizards.
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