The New York Knicks have been relatively quiet since the start of free agency, but recent reports suggest that they may be angling for a blockbuster trade, unlike anything we’ve ever seen before. With news from around the league about James Harden’s possible departure from Philadelphia, whispers have started circulating that the Knicks are interested in bringing MVP Joel Embiid to Gotham. While no official deals have been lodged yet, this could be an NBA-shaking move if it comes to pass – and one New York fans will undoubtedly cheer on loud and proud.
Overview
It is not out of the question that Embiid requests a trade if the Sixers’ present predicament deteriorates into full-blown instability.
The NBA has seen crazier days. Even the NBA’s most devoted player, Damian Lillard, wanted out of his contract with the Trail Blazers in Portland. If the Sixers are unable to create a championship contender around Joel Embiid, it is possible that he could want to be traded. The vultures, led potentially by the Knicks, will swoop in for Embiid because of his status as a potential 2023 MVP.
If you’re a gambler, you probably shouldn’t put your money on Embiid signing with the Knicks anytime soon. The Sixers probably can’t afford to lose two franchise players this summer. However, if all else fails, the Knicks could be the team most equipped to get the 29-year-old center. This is why the Knicks and the Sixers can pull off a blockbuster deal for Joel Embiid that would stun the NBA world. The New York Knicks odds of acquiring Joel Embiid may be slim, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t a possibility.
Knicks Possess Sufficient Trade Assets to Persuade the Sixers
The Rudy Gobert deal of 2022 changed how multi-time All-Stars are traded forever. The package the Minnesota Timberwolves sent to the New York Knicks in exchange for Gobert has now established itself as the standard for any mega-deal involving elite players with a few more years left on their contracts. This package consists of promising young players, valuable role players who could be traded for additional assets, and all first-round picks available to the team.
There is a big difference between dealing for Gobert and trading for Joel Embiid. For the Sixers to part with their franchise cornerstone, Joel Embiid would demand an even higher return. Trading away the league’s most valuable player is also unprecedented.
The Knicks, though, are among the few teams who might afford to pay everything the Sixers want for Embiid. The fact that the Knicks can afford to make a play for any dissatisfied player that hits the trade market is a credit to their excellent management in recent years.
The Knicks hold their first-round selections until the last year they can deal away a pick (2030), and they also have two other teams’ first-round picks (from the Dallas Mavericks and Milwaukee Bucks, respectively) that may be used to sweeten a trade. They might also provide the 2024 first-round selections of the Detroit Pistons and Washington Wizards. Still, given the present state of both teams’ rosters, those selections may ultimately translate as second-round selections.
New York: The Mecca of Basketball
Playing for a club in a major market may no longer have the allure it once had. These days, players are more interested in playing for organizations with savvy front offices that can construct a long-term contender. But what about when a club is well-managed and has its home base in a major market like New York? The appeal may be too great to be ignored.
As a result, if Joel Embiid decides to leave the Sixers, there’s a good chance he’ll put the Knicks on his wish list of potential new teams to play for. He doesn’t have a no-trade clause, so the Sixers can send him wherever they want. However, a celebrity of his stature typically gets what he wants.
Sixers Could be on the Verge of a Second Process
It all comes down to the Sixers’ ability to surround Joel Embiid with championship-caliber players. They risk losing a nightly 20-10 threat in free agency for a bunch of spare parts or maybe even nothing, as James Harden has become dissatisfied with how they handled contract discussions.
Although they lost Georges Niang, Shake Milton, and Jalen McDaniels in free agency, the Sixers were quiet, signing just Patrick Beverley in exchange for Matisse Thybulle and a future draft selection. Even with those losses, the Sixers still have a great core, but with just three players under contract for the 2024-25 season, change might be coming to Philadelphia soon.
Conclusion
The New York Knicks have the assets and resources to make a blockbuster trade for Joel Embiid if he decides to leave Philadelphia. With their first-round picks, two other teams’ selections, plus promising young players and valuable role players available in the exchange, they can certainly put together an attractive package that could persuade the Sixers. While it would be unprecedented for such a move to happen—especially during these tumultuous times—the possibility of bringing one of the league’s biggest stars into Gotham is too exciting not to consider.
