Over 10 years after being drafted, Joel Embiid remains on the 76ers roster, standing as the longest-tenured player on the team.
Now, however, his future is very much in doubt after yet another injury put him out of action. In a recent appearance on ‘KG Certified,’ NBA legend Paul Pierce spoke candidly on the situation, deeming the famed ‘process’ a failure while urging the Sixers to move on from their iconic big man.
“Need Joel Embiid to be moving,” Pierce said. “It’s time to rebuild in Philly; it’s time to build around [Tyrese] Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, you know what I’m saying? It’s time for the Big Fella to move out West; he needs some sunshine on that knee,” said Pierce. “I’m done trusting the process; 10 years trying to trust the process. Trust the process is over.”
The 76ers gave it an honest shot with Embiid, pairing him alongside stars such as Ben Simmons, James Harden, and Paul George to become a regular contender in the East. Sadly, every campaign has ended in failure so far, putting added pressure on the front office to reconsider its approach. For Pierce, it’s long past time for a divorce, and the same can be said for several other teams and players across the league.
“Ja Morant, get that man some fresh air, please,” Pierce added. “He needs some fresh air; that man didn’t even play the rest of the year. He was mentally done. Giannis, get Giannis some air. Zion needs some fresh air. He can give a jolt to like Indiana or something.”
Trading troubled stars with as much baggage as Morant or Zion is no easy feat, but Embiid’s stock may be the worst of all. At 32 years old, he’s on the tail end of his prime now and will likely start to decline in a few years (more than he already has). That’s not to mention his long and complicated injury history, which has set his number of missed games to rival his played games.
This season, with averages of 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 0.6 steals, and 1.2 blocks per game on on 48.9% shooting and 33.3% shooting from the field, Embiid has shown flashes of greatness when available, but the 76ers have already moved beyond his leadership. With the resurgence of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe, the focus has shifted to their young backcourt, who have successfully pulled the Sixers into the Eastern playoff picture.
At this point, it makes sense for Philadelphia to trade both Embiid and Paul George this summer to completely retool around their new core, but where would it leave the former MVP? At his age, with his history, trade interest would be limited, but he might find success in a place like Miami or Los Angeles, which can provide the resources, structure, and urgency to maximize what’s left of his career. In exchange, the 76ers can try to secure a return that helps provide more stable and better-fitting support for Maxey and Edcgecombe. Ultimately, with another three years and $125 million left on his contract, Philly holds all the leverage, and they alone will decide the fate of Joel’s NBA future.
