A potentially dramatic move between the Philadelphia 76ers and the La Lakers is being debated.
The LA Lakers’ first round exit in the NBA playoffs has already sparked much debate about potential offseason moves.
And my far-off move is a suggestion to trade for Philadelphia 76ers superstar Joel Embiid.
Bill Simmons proposed the Embiid Laker trade and explained that he would “get out of the prison escape card” for the Six after handing the injured star a expensive contract in 2024.
The possibility that Joel Embiid is the LA Lakers option has come across many pushbacks on social media.
Embiid only played in 19 regular season games for the Philadelphia 76ers before it was closed. There are plenty of other options that the Lakers will consider without any health risks.
ESPN expert Ramona Shelburne believes the move is worth gambling to solve the issue of the Lakers’ size.
Speaking to ESPN LA, she said: “I’ll do it. Yeah, I’ll do it. You just need him for the playoffs. Tomorrow, for Joel Embiid, you can barely get him anything at this point.
“It’s just money. You need to come up with a deal for Max, but he’s very low in value and what’s going on in his knees.
“You’re just ready for the playoffs by telling him to sit in the first half of the year and get right.”
Joel Embiid only played in 19 games this season, but his production remained at a very high level.
The data show how Embiid was an effective player when he performed, averaging 23.8 points per game.
Embiid performed 50 points in the Sixers’ final playoff series, but his team has not reached the postseason in the past year.
Shelburne went on to say that Joel Embiid isn’t her first choice, referring to the Memphis Grizzlies potential.
She also abandoned the possibility of Boston Celtics star Christaps Porzingis.
Nikola Vosevic of the Chicago Bulls Center was also proposed. “Vasevic in Chicago, people who make a lot of money, perhaps their team is going in a different direction and they need to shift some money.”
The Lakers certainly need to be opportunistic and have to make the decision not to compromise. They must target solutions that check every box. It’s no surprise to see them sign multiple players.
Embiid is the highest risk reward option, and after revoking Mark Williams’ trade, the optics signing players with his history of injury will likely elicit many bewildered responses.