Many people around the NBA believe Joel Embiid will request a trade from the Philadelphia 76ers “sooner rather than later,” according to Vincent Goodwill of Yahoo Sports. James Harden wants the Sixers to trade him to the Los Angeles Clippers and the 2017-18 NBA MVP called Daryl Morey a “liar” during his Adidas China tour.
“Embiid has said all the right things publicly, but there has to be some residual fatigue in his entire 76ers experience,” Goodwill wrote in his latest NBA trade column. “Morey is responsible for only the past few years, but in totality, many around the league believe Embiid will ask out sooner rather than later — and that a full rebuild is what Morey is covertly hoping for.”
Embiid averaged 33.1 points and 10.2 rebounds last season for the Sixers while shooting 54.8% from the field, 33.0% from beyond the arc and 85.7% from the free-throw line. Philadelphia swept the Brooklyn Nets in the first round of the 2023 NBA playoffs but lost to the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in seven games.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Joel Embiid & Philadelphia 76ers Updates
In 394 regular-season games with the Sixers, Embiid is averaging 27.2 points and 11.2 rebounds. He has made six All-Star teams, five All-NBA teams and three All-Defensive teams and won one MVP Award. However, Philadelphia has never gotten past the second round of the NBA playoffs in the Embiid era.
The New York Knicks and Houston Rockets are teams to watch in the Embiid trade sweepstakes if the superstar requests a trade from the Sixers, according to NBA insider Kelly Iko of The Athletic. Embiid developed a close relationship with new Rockets head coach Ime Udoka when Udoka was an assistant coach on the Sixers. Meanwhile, since Knicks president Leon Rose used to be Embiid’s agent, some people around the NBA believe New York would have an advantage in Embiid trade talks.
NBA NEWS & TRADE RUMORS: Joel Embiid & Philadelphia 76ers Updates
Embiid, who signed a four-year, $210 million contract extension in 2021, obviously wants Harden to stay with the Sixers, but Harden intends to “never wear” a Philadelphia uniform again, sources told NBA Analysis Network.
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