• Stephen A. Smith believes Damian Lillard’s trade could inspire Joel Embiid to follow in his footsteps
• Lillard was traded to the Milwaukee Bucks to create a superstar duo with Giannis Antetokounmpo
• Embiid is widely expected to be the next superstar player to request a trade
Damian Lillard has finally been traded and will play for the Milwaukee Bucks next season. While he didn’t get a chance to end up on the Miami Heat as he intended, Lillard is teaming up with Giannis Antetokounmpo, worrying teams at the top of the Eastern Conference.
Stephen A. Smith believes this trade could finally inspire Joel Embiid to demand a trade out of the Philadelphia 76ers.
(Starts at 6:24)
“Philly is in a world of trouble. Keep your eyes open for Joel Embiid. He might demand to be traded after this.”
The Lillard deal has knocked the 76ers further down a tier of title contenders in the East, with the conference looking headed for another Bucks vs. Celtics showdown next season.
That has to be terrifying for the 76ers, who still have to move on from the disgruntled James Harden while also finding trades to make them strong enough to compete for a title against the Bucks and Celtics. If they can’t be title contenders, there really is no reason for Embiid to not explore his options.
The 76ers Need To Find A Magic Trade To Save The Joel Embiid Era
As presently constructed, the 76ers cannot win a title. They could make noise in the East and be among the contenders, but their only way to a title would be to pull off massive upsets in the playoffs against the Celtics and the Bucks. They’re closer to teams like the Heat, Cavaliers, and Knicks than to the Celtics and Bucks at this point.
Unless Tyrese Maxey takes a massive jump and Tobias Harris rediscovers the All-Star form he showed on the Clippers, this team will be sitting ducks next season. Instead of holding onto Harden till February and forcing him to play half-hearted basketball, Daryl Morey needs to find a way to land a strong point guard replacement. Thankfully, someone just hit the market,
The 76ers should go as hard as they can in pursuit of Jrue Holiday. Holiday won’t have much use on the Blazers who already have three young guards to develop. Holiday, who averaged 19.3 points, 5.1 rebounds, and 7.4 assists last season, would create the perfect backcourt alongside Maxey with a mix of offense and defense. Embiid will miss the passing Harden brought to the table, but acquiring Holiday would be big for their team’s health in general.
Joel Embiid’s Future Options
Even if the team acquires Holiday, there’s no guarantee of what they can achieve on the court. Their roster has been through too many shakeups in the Embiid era, whether voluntarily or involuntarily. The asset drain means we’re in the final season or two of the 76ers having a legitimate shot at contending with Embiid before the seven-footer asks out.
If Lillard has an incredibly successful start to life in Milwaukee, Embiid will consider his options more actively. There are various teams that are already reportedly interested in acquiring him if he becomes available, with the New York Knicks at the front of the line. Philly can easily get assets in exchange for Embiid that can start their rebuild process, but none of those assets can guarantee to be as good as Embiid.
Embiid averaged 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists last season and won MVP, but had a shockingly disappointing playoffs. Whether he goes to the 2024 playoffs in Philly colors remains to be seen, but the 76ers should be worried about the direction they’re headed in.
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