Joel Embiid hopes the Sixers’ roster remains intact beyond the NBA trade deadline
In recent seasons, they made moves that enabled them to avoid the luxury tax. And there’s a belief around the NBA that they’ll do the same this season.
Joel Embiid hopes the 76ers take a different approach at the NBA trade deadline.
In recent seasons, they made moves that enabled them to avoid the luxury tax. And there’s a belief around the NBA that they’ll do the same this season. There are also reports that Giannis Antetokounmpo, one of the NBA’s foremost stars, is on the outs with the Milwaukee Bucks and might have interest in playing in Philly.
The Sixers (26-21) are $7 million above the allowable threshold to avoid being taxed. They’re also around $1 million away from being a first-apron team and facing penalties.
» READ MORE: Five reasons the Sixers should be cautious at the NBA trade deadline
Quentin Grimes ($8.7 million), Kelly Oubre Jr. ($8.3 million), and Andre Drummond ($5 million) have expiring contracts that could help avoid paying the threshold tax. The problem is, all three players are major contributors to the Eastern Conference’s sixth-place team.
Oubre is the starting small forward and the team’s X-Factor.
Grimes is the sixth man and one of the squad’s best three-point shooters. The shooting guard has a no-trade clause, giving him full veto power over any deal.
But league sources have said the Sixers are willing to trade Drummond, and that could create a void as the reserve center is the team’s leading rebounder.
“We’ve been ducking the tax the last couple of years,” Embiid said. “So hopefully we keep the same team. I love all of the guys that are here. I think we got a shot.
“I don’t know what [the front office is] going to do. But I hope that we get a chance to go out there and compete because we got a good group of guys in this locker room, and the vibes are great.”
The Sixers are three games out of second place with 35 games remaining. They have winning records against the second-place New York Knicks and the third-place Boston Celtics. And they tied the season series with the fourth-place Toronto Raptors.
» READ MORE: What is the Sixers’ biggest need at the NBA trade deadline? Patience.
Now that Embiid and Paul George are healthy, the Sixers are regarded as one of the NBA’s most dangerous teams.
Embiid, the 2023 league MVP, finished with 37 points, five rebounds, and eight assists in Thursday’s 113-111 victory over the Sacramento Kings at Xfinity Mobile Arena. It marked the fifth time that he’s scored at least 30 points in his last six games. George finished with 15 points, five assists, and two steals versus the Kings (12-37). The nine-time All-Star is finding his groove in his role as a facilitator and solid defender.
Meanwhile, Tyrese Maxey has blossomed into the team’s leading scorer. The All-Star starter had a game-high 40 points on Thursday. It was his fifth 40-point performance of the season. And the point guard is third in the league in scoring at 29.4 points per game.
In addition to the Big Three of Embiid, George, and Maxey, this might be the deepest Sixers squad since the 2018-19 season, when they had Embiid, Jimmy Butler, Ben Simmons, Tobias Harris, and JJ Redick in the starting lineup.
This season’s squad is dangerous because it can beat any team on any given night. As a result, the Sixers are the squad no one will want to face in the postseason.
“Like I said in the past, we’ve been ducking the tax,” Embiid said. “So hopefully, we think about improving, because I believe we have a chance.”