Around the NBA, there are a lot of rumors at the moment. Some of them are not directly connected. Still, if you’re willing to connect the dots, you can identify some new potential situations.
For example, look at the Miami Heat. They’re heavily linked to Damian Lillard. It’s been suggested that they’d be willing to part with Tyler Herro to get him. That’s fair. Herro was absent for their entire NBA Finals run. With that in mind, one wonders if they’d be more generally willing to part with Herro if they were upgrading their roster.
Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers are at the center of plenty of rumors at the moment. James Harden wants out – that’s an established fact. As a result, folks are wondering if Joel Embiid’s trade request is an inevitability. Could the Sixers send him to the Heat?
The Trade Proposal
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: F/C Bam Adebayo, G Tyler Herro, 2027 First-Round Pick (MIA), 2029 First-Round Pick (MIA)
Miami Heat Receive: C Joel Embiid
In fact, we’ve got nothing but rumors at the moment. These are the dog days of the NBA’s summer. As a result, we’ve got plenty to speculate about – and very little tangible action to report.
Some people don’t like it. We get it – we’re stirring the pot. Bam Adebayo has done nothing to earn a place in trade rumors. He was vital to the Heat’s Finals run. What are we doing here?
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers & Miami Heat Updates
Well, we’re speculating. You want NBA content, right? Moreover, it’s fun to think about. Embiid just won the league’s MVP award, and now, he’s rumored to be available. People are going to talk about this, whether you like it or not. Could the Heat reality move Adebayo to land Embiid?
Why The Miami Heat Do The Deal
Joel Embiid is a better player than Bam Adebayo. Let’s start there. Sure, Adebayo is a more versatile defender. He’s a better passer as well. Still, Embiid is in another world as a scorer. He’s one of the most dominant offensive players in the NBA.
He’s also a better rim protector than Adebayo. The Heat’s defensive scheme would look different if they made this deal. They’d be less inclined to switch. Perimeter defenders would be tasked with funnelling their assignment into Embiid. In all likelihood, that’s going to work nicely.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers & Miami Heat Updates
After all, we’ve never seen Embiid with a defensive playmaker like Jimmy Butler. Moreover, the two are friends with natural chemistry from their brief time together on the Sixers. This is a win-now team making a win-now trade. What are the 76ers doing?
Why The Philadelphia 76ers Do The Deal
Some will say that this isn’t the right deal for the Sixers. If they’re moving Embiid, they should orchestrate a rebuild from scratch. In other words, they’ll argue that they should be looking for more first-round picks in exchange for Embiid.
Perhaps. On the other hand, the Sixers owe most of their own draft capital to other teams for the foreseeable future. Building through the draft becomes a less tenable option as a result. Arguably, the best thing Philly could do is trade Embiid for some quality younger players. That’s what they’re doing here. The Sixers are acquiring two star players who are well under 30.
NBA TRADES, NEWS & RUMORS: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia 76ers & Miami Heat Updates
Provided, of course, that Embiid demands a trade in the first place. If he doesn’t, the Sixers will opt to hang onto the league’s reigning MVP. In the meantime, all we can do is piece the puzzle together.
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