Despite every maneuver the Philadelphia 76ers can take this offseason, nothing stands as more important for the franchise than to ensure the recovery of Joel Embiid from his lingering knee issue. The way this team is constructed, the superstar’s availability will still be the main determining factor if they tout a realistic shot at returning to relevance next season.
For now, both camps remain in wait-and-see mode. Embiid had just undergone a knee procedure not too long ago, and precedence taken into account, there is really no telling if that could end up being a definite solution to such a persistent headache.
Given this status quo, the call for the 76ers to start acting on the situation with more conviction has never gotten stronger. Embiid definitely looked a shell of himself in his brief stint this season, and a version of him that is not at 100 percent capacity health-wise stands to reprise the same level of repressed production.
At this point, Philly should consider everything, and a trade should also be in the cards.
Proposed Joel Embiid trade puts the 76ers out of their misery
Problem is, is there really a team out there with the required degree of desperation and the necessary assets to make a feasible run at Embiid? So far, no team has expressed any kind of tangible interest for the All-Star, but from a conjectural standpoint, there should at least be a handful of clubs that could cozy up to the idea.
One team that could partake in the Embiid affairs is the Lakers. Los Angeles is still facing a ton of uncertainty regarding the future of not only LeBron James, but also Luka Doncic, who remains undecided on signing a maximum extension with this new club. To appease the latter, who is projected to be their centerpiece moving forward, a drastic change could be needed.
BIll Simmons, in his podcast, suggested that the Lakers go after Joel Embiid, using all of their expriing contracts to match salaries and a future first-round pick to sweeten the pot.
Following this train of thought, Los Angeles could opt for a direct swap with James heading to Philly, but that is an unrealistic scenario as the Lakers seem determined to house LeBron as he ends his career. Alternatively, the Lakers could consolidate players in a trade, but given their top-heavy payroll, that would require them to part with a handful of key role players. Considering their shallow depth, that could only sink them further.
Having said that, the Lakers indeed have the makings of a team that could make a run for Joel Embiid. The Philadelphia 76ers seem to be unmoved so far by the thought of trading the former MVP, but when the push comes to shove, that situation will certainly become inevitable.