NFL
By: Mark T. Wilson
It has taken a while for me to admit that it’s time for the Philadelphia 76ers to trade Joel Embiid. It’s not that I believe that Embiid can’t perform at a high level; it’s that Embiid no longer fits with the current makeup of the 76ers. This team has changed, and the leaders are Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. There is no room for Joel Embiid.
Embiid, when healthy, is still one of the best players in the NBA; however, the 76ers can no longer wait for him to be 100%. It’s time to move on and build a winning and trustworthy foundation for the future.
It’s still early in the 2025 season, and the 76ers have shown their ability to fight and win despite limited production from the former MVP. Having Paul George return will help the team, especially on the defensive end, but what the team needs is not a player who will take shots away from the backcourt; they need a player or players who can rebound and protect the paint.
Yes, Embiid can do that, but he will also stunt the growth of Maxey and Edgecombe at the same time. Embiid is still regarded as the face of the team, and with that comes high usage. He and Maxey have proven they can mesh on the court, but what happens when George returns? That’s 4 high usage players with just one ball. Either one or two of these players will see a decline in numbers, and let’s be truthful here, Maxey and Edgecombe should not be forced to take a back seat.
Yes, it will be hard to find a trade suitor for Embiid due to his health issues and his contract. But there has to be a team willing to take that kind of risk in hopes he can turn it around.
Draft picks will be a huge deal for Daryl Morey, but they will need to get players back who can play right away. Maxey has shown the ability to score and facilitate. Edgecombe is Jimmy Butler 2.0. The 76ers also have Jared McCain and Quentin Grimes backing them up. They have firepower. And let’s not forget PG. If he can come in and be that glue that scores, defends, and rebounds, this team could make noise in the Eastern Conference.
For years, the debate regarding trading Embiid has gone on in NBA circles, with some saying the team would be foolish for doing such a thing. The truth was, Maxey was not ready to be the focal point. But his play this seaosn and the way the team is rallying around him, shows that he has taken that step. When Embiid has the ball, it becomes a polaroid show. The ball stops moving, and so do the players. Embiid dribbles for a good 5 seconds, then gets stuck, and when he does take a shot, it’s more perimeter-based than getting to the rim.
No matter where he goes, there is a chance he could catch a second wind and destroy the league as he once did. That’s a scary thought for the 76ers front office to come to terms with. A healthy Embiid on this team is still a good thing, but this version the team has had over the last 2 seasons is a different story. Getting Embiid through the regular season has been a chore, but they need him 90-100% when the playoffs roll around; that has been the main talking point for a trade.
It’s hard to trade an all-NBA caliber player. But what if the team is left in the hands of young players who play well together? Look at the Golden State Warriors and now with the Oklahoma City Thunder. Yes, they have their cornerstone players, but what if Embiid was never meant to be one of the man pieces? What if he got them as far as he was supposed to get them, and Maxey is the one to take them the rest of the way?
The 2025 season is still young and plenty can happen, but it is time for them to start thinking about the future. For all the criticism that Morey has taken during his career, he has done quite well with building the current roster of this team. The young players are here, and while the team may be a bit guard-heavy, one trade can change all that. Who will they get in return? Well, that remains to be seen.
With the way the team is playing, there will come a point where they will have to slow the game down, and that’s where a player like Embiid can thrive. For the 76ers to want to keep him, Embiid must change his approach to the game. It’s time to throw out the scoring averages and play defense and rebound. A player with scoring ability will still score, but he is willing to defer to Maxey, Edgecombe, and George. He can still be dominant, but not in the way that he’s used to. The question is, is that something that he’s willing to do? If not, then a trade is the only solution.
This is like the situation with AJ Brown and the Philadelphia Eagles: are they willing to sacrifice personal goals for the betterment of the team? Embiid has to want that now. He has to want what the other great big men have, and that’s a ring. That’s all that’s missing from his resume. He now has the perfect blend of players surrounding him, much like he did in 2018-19.
Joel Embiid is finding his groove, but he’s playing in slow motion. This is not what the team needs at this point. No, it’s not like the Denver Nuggets trading Nikola Jokic. Without him, the Nuggets are dead in the water. The 76ers have the pieces. This is a new era of Philadelphia 76ers basketball, and it’s time they finally embrace it.
