It’s only been two or fewer games for most of the league, so anything seen on the court could rapidly change in the future. Right now though, it definitely looks like the Golden State Warriors are in trouble. Andrew Wiggins and Kelly Oubre Jr. haven’t performed to expectations. Stephen Curry is getting double and triple-teamed because he’s the only one scoring well. Perhaps the Warriors need to make a trade. They need to get Curry a consistent star who can dominate if Curry has an off night.
Joel Embiid could be a perfect candidate for the Warriors to target. His fit with Ben Simmons is far from perfect, though that might improve with new head coach Doc Rivers. If the Philadelphia 76ers see a decent package, then they could pounce on the opportunity. Joel Embiid could relish the chance to play with Stephen Curry. The two of them together would be a recipe for contention, and this trade would give both superstars the chance at a championship. Here is what a potential trade package would look like.
Golden State Warriors Receive: Joel Embiid
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: Andrew Wiggins, James Wiseman, 2021 Minnesota Timberwolves pick (1-3 protected)
The Philadelphia 76ers Enter A New Era
With this trade, the Philadelphia 76ers would get a trade package that would place a lot of new faces around their remaining superstar, Ben Simmons. Ben Simmons needs spacing to thrive as a playmaker: perhaps getting rid of an inside presence in Joel Embiid will let Simmons drive to the rim more. It would be similar to the way the Westbrook-Harden Rockets utilized Russell Westbrook: give him four shooters and let him go to work. James Wiseman in particular holds a lot of promise as a credible 3PT threat. Andrew Wiggins would replace some of the scoring that Joel Embiid brought, and provide a defender at the wing position.
The Philadelphia 76ers would get two younger players who could be a better fit with Ben Simmons. Wiseman seems like a willing shooter, and Andrew Wiggins is a scorer. He is a willing shooter, despite how inefficient some of his nights get. This trade would allow the 76ers to fully commit to Ben Simmons as the future of their franchise: he is defensively versatile, elite around the rim, and a magician with his passing. Putting some pieces that fit well around Simmons could fully unlock his game. The Timberwolves pick would be interesting: it’s a big asset, and the 76ers could easily strike gold in the 2021 NBA Draft, which is loaded with promising prospects.
The Golden State Warriors Bring In An Offensive Force
If the Golden State Warriors paired Stephen Curry and Joel Embiid they’d have to adopt a system that balances the number of touches on the inside and the perimeter, rather than skewing towards 3PT shooting as in years past. Joel Embiid is not Klay Thompson, but he and Stephen Curry could develop a productive partnership. Joel Embiid would give them a guaranteed scorer, and someone who can absolutely dominate on both ends. He is an offensive force, plain and simple. Great inside scorer, and makes the 3PT shot well for a center (33.1% during the 2019-20 season). If he were on a better team last year, perhaps he’d be in more conversations for being the best center in the league.
Embiid’s defensive presence would be a boon for this iteration of the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors gave up 125 and 138 points to opposing teams during their first two games. While this is a small sample, the Warriors cannot give up this many points in the future. Their current bad defense would get dissected by most superstars in the league. Joel Embiid’s rim protection would be able to shore up their defense, and the Warriors would have the best center that they’ve had during the current iteration of the dynasty. Steve Kerr is an adaptable coach, so he will definitely make the most of a unicorn center.
The Golden State Warriors need to retool while Stephen Curry is still in his prime. Currently, it looks like the Warriors’ dynasty is coming to a close. With a trade for Joel Embiid, the dynasty could be revived. They’d add Embiid on top of talents like Kelly Oubre Jr. and Eric Paschall, giving them a great outlook for current and future championship aspirations. It is up to the 76ers and the Warriors to make it happen.
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