Sixers mailbag: Trading Joel Embiid would be a mistake
The three-time All-Star center gives the Sixers their best chance to reach the NBA Finals. They would be better off fitting pieces around Embiid than getting rid of him.
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This is the 12th edition of the weekly 76ers mailbag.
Each week, Inquirer.com followers may submit questions to be answered every Friday.
Missed out on the party this week? No worries. You can submit your question(s) for next time by following me on Twitter @PompeyOnSixers and tweeting your inquiry with the hashtag #PompeysMailbagFlow.
Let’s jump right into this week’s questions:
Question: The playoffs often expose a team’s weakness. However, if this season were to be cut short and abruptly end, how do you think the front office will evaluate our biggest weaknesses, and through what platform is it most likely to be addressed (ie: free agency, draft, trade)? — @SeanSusk
Answer: Thanks for the question, Sean. And thanks for getting this newsletter started. I hope you’re doing well, especially during this coronavirus pandemic.
Right now, the Sixers need to add another shooter, in my opinion. In a perfect world, it would be good to try to trade for a quality sharpshooter. One problem: The Sixers don’t have a lot of valued trade assets. We learned that at the trade deadline. Some players make too much money, while others aren’t desired by other teams at this point.
The good thing about the Sixers is they have several players with expiring contracts. So they will be able to add much-needed help in free agency. The only problem is that they won’t be able to afford to add an A-list player because of salary cap limitations. They would, however, have enough money to add give someone a mid-level exception or a veteran-minimum deal.
Q: Have there been any rumblings of trading Joel Embiid during the offseason and gaining that combo guard we so desperately need to run next to Ben -- i.e. a Devin Booker /CJ McCollum type? — @concretekayaker
A: Thanks for the question, man.
I’m haven’t heard any rumblings about trading Embiid. Unless he basically begged for one, I wouldn’t trade him for anything. I know he’s had his injury history, shoots a lot of threes, and hasn’t always been in optimum conditioning, but the three-time All-Star center gives the Sixers their best chance to reach the NBA Finals. They would be better off fitting pieces around Embiid than getting rid of him. Those players you mentioned are solid. Booker made the All-Star team this season. However, they are far from equal trade value for Embiid. That would get a general manager fired by the end of the month.
Q: Are you on the Buddy Hield Train? Is a package for Al Horford/Josh Richardson/Unprotected 1st enough - as both teams mix/match additional assets to make salaries work? He would give us that sharpshooter we desperately need to run next to Ben Simmons — @concretekayaker
A: Thanks for asking two questions today. Buddy Hield would be a solid addition. However, I’m not sure if the Sacramento Kings would want to take Al Horford’s salary. He’ll turn 34 in June and will have three years remaining on the $97 million guaranteed deal he signed this past summer.
The Kings would probably get better offers than that for the shooting guard. I just don’t see Sacramento taking on Horford’s salary to give up one of their core players.