For as long as Joel Embiid is on the Philadelphia 76ers roster, the franchise will be considered a contender. Unfortunately, Embiid is a major injury concern year after year.
As such, Daryl Morey could eventually grow tired of counting on Embiid’s health, especially in the postseason. If, for whatever reason, Morey decided to move on from Embiid this summer, Andy Bailey of Bleacher Report believes the Washington Wizards could emerge as a good landing spot.
Bailey proposed a trade that would look like this:
Wizards Get: Joel Embiid
Sixers Get: Marcus Smart, Khris Middleton, a 2027 first-round draft pick and a 2029 first-round draft pick.
“Given his injury history and what now appears to be chronic knee problems, that amount of money and years could doom the Philadelphia 76ers’ team-building abilities for the foreseeable future,” Bailey wrote. “Add Paul George’s deal (which runs through 2027-28, when he has a $56.6 million player option) to the mix, and this situation looks dire. So, Philly should be open to moving Embiid to any team that might be willing to take that deal of its hands, and the Washington Wizards might be uniquely positioned to take that flier.”
By absorbing Smart and Middleton, the Sixers would be in a position to shed considerable salary in the summer of 2026. Smart is entering the final year of his contract, while Middleton has a player option for the upcoming season. The two additional draft picks could also become highly valuable if Embiid’s injury issues persist.
Sixers and Embiid Clashed Over Injury
According to ESPN’s Shams Charania, the Sixers front office and Embiid have clashed over how to approach his recovery throughout the season.
“There was some tension there between Joel Embiid and that front office, from my understanding,” Charania said on an April 3 episode of NBA Today. “The team believed he needed to play at some points of the season, that he needed to get his conditioning right through playing and getting better that way. He felt like he needed surgery. He ends up getting the surgery.”
Embiid was ultimately shut down for the remainder of the Sixers’ 2024-25 campaign. The hope is that he will be ready to make an impact once the new season begins later this year. However, there’s no guarantee he will stay healthy for the entire basketball year.
Embiid Recently Underwent Successful Surgery
Embiid reportedly underwent a successful surgery on his knee on April 11. The Sixers provided a brief statement after the procedure had been completed.
“Joel Embiid underwent successful arthroscopic surgery on his left knee on Wednesday,” The Sixers reported. “The procedure was performed at NYU Langone Sports Medicine Center by Dr. Jonathan L. Glashow. Embiid will be re-evaluated in approximately six weeks.”
Embiid will now have months to heal up and begin improving his fitness. The hope will be that he’s close to 100% by October. However, the bigger question is whether he can stay healthy. Embiid has a history of fading once the postseason begins. As such, it will be interesting to see whether Morey continues to stick with the aging big man.
Trading Embiid seems unthinkable right now. However, that could change if he continues to miss significant chunks of the season.
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