After Kawhi Leonard left the reigning NBA champion Toronto Raptors, the Philadelphia 76ers immediately emerged as one of the favorite teams to represent the Eastern Conference in the 2020 NBA Finals. Unfortunately, since the season started, the Sixers have yet to live up to expectations, and as of now, various trade speculations have been swirling around the City of Brotherly Love.
The latest rumors suggest that All-Star center Joel Embiid could be on his way to the Los Angeles Clippers to form a “Big Three” with Kawhi Leonard and Paul George before the February trade deadline.
The idea of the 76ers trading Embiid, who is widely considered the face of the franchise, may sound crazy, but the potential deal that would send him to the Clippers was indeed floated by an unnamed league source, according to Justin Verrier of The Ringer , via ClutchPoints .
“The Clippers need a center, perhaps. The 76ers happen to have an extra one now that they’ve learned into Ben Simmons as their lord and savior. What if the Clippers traded for Joel Embiid?”
When asked about the Clippers’ possible offer to the Sixers for Embiid, the unnamed league source reportedly told Verrier that it would be a package deal including Landry Shamet, Montrezl Harrell, Maurice Harkless, and a 2020 first-round pick.
“So, it would be Embiid for [Montrezl Harrell], [Landry] Shamet, Moe Harkless … and let’s just say their first-round pick.”
It would definitely be intriguing to see Embiid leaving the Sixers for the Clippers. The potential arrival of Embiid in Los Angeles would undeniably make the ongoing rivalry between the Clippers and the Lakers more exciting as the “less popular” Los Angeles team would finally have someone to match up against Anthony Davis. Embiid would tremendously boost the Clippers’ performance on both ends of the floor.
Aside from giving them a quality rim protector and floor-spacer, Embiid would allow the Clippers to create a “Big Three” with Leonard and George. However, as of now, it is highly unlikely that the Embiid-to-Clippers trade would happen before the February trade deadline. Shamet, Harrell, and Harkless are undeniably interesting acquisitions for the Sixers, as they would fit nicely with Ben Simmons, but it won’t likely be enough to convince Philadelphia to give up the All-Star center.
The Clippers are expected to seek roster improvements on the trade market, but it is less likely to be a blockbuster deal. Some of the realistic trade targets for the Clippers this season include Andre Iguodala and Jae Crowder of the Memphis Grizzlies, Marcus Morris of the New York Knicks, and Markieff Morris of the Detroit Pistons.
