James Harden is well on his way to igniting another fuse that will result in the detonation of a franchise's core. After doing so to the Brooklyn Nets, who have gone from a big three consisting of the Beard, Kevin Durant, and Kyrie Irving to Mikal Bridges, Cameron Johnson, and Nicolas Claxton (or he-who-must-not-be-named, if one prefers) in a short season and a half, Harden's displeasure with the Philadelphia 76ers has seemingly leeched its way into Joel Embiid.
Of course, Embiid's potential exit from the team that took a chance on him coming out of the University of Kansas started long before Harden's trade demand, but it really does feel like the Beard's departure will be the catalyst for the reigning MVP's own request if it ever comes to that. Harden's antics may have inserted Embiid's name into the rumor mill once again, but it wasn't the only fuel to this dumpster fire.
Embiid's cryptic social media maneuvers — whether it be daunting captions or the removal of information from his online bio — have also rejuvenated the NBA's slop factory. And of course, a half-decade of playoff shortcomings always adds ammunition to a potential break-up between a franchise star and the organization that has failed to surround him with a championship-caliber supporting cast.
There's a strong chance that Joel Embiid doesn't get traded at all in the near future, but just in case, it's less damaging to be prepared for the worst.
Here are a few potential trades that would actually make sense for this upcoming season.
Sixers, Pelicans swap superstars
A few years ago, a straight swap between Joel Embiid and Zion Williamson wouldn't have been an unthinkable deal. While Joel Embiid has ascended his way into an MVP, though, Williamson has only proven further that he can't be counted on for a full season's worth of games, let alone an extended playoff run. With each passing year that he misses a significant chunk of the campaign due to injury, Williamson's trade value only tanks more and more.
The time for New Orleans to strike for a championship is now. C.J. McCollum isn't getting any younger or better, and Brandon Ingram is at the peak of his powers. The Pelicans' cache of future draft picks is also starting to run dry, so turning a couple of them, along with a dominant but unreliable superstar and a promising young wing, into a future Hall-of-Famer is a surefire way to capitalize on their war chest and truly compete for a title.
For the 76ers, they turn one franchise cornerstone into another, one that's six years younger. Trey Murphy III ironically gives them a prototypical wing that they've needed alongside Embiid throughout the entire process. One that carries the perimeter gravity to prevent double-teams against the MVP in the post and can shut down opposing wings on defense. He's also flashed the shot-creation potential that hints at a future superstar in the making.
While Philly doesn't gain much in terms of draft capital in this deal, they're unlikely to find a prospect that will be better than Zion — provided he can finally remain healthy on a new team — with any draft pick that they could acquire from an Embiid trade.
Embiid migrates south with the Hawks
While the Atlanta Hawks lack future draft compensation, they have more than enough young talent to swing a deal for a superstar. Between De'Andre Hunter, Onyeka Okongwu, and AJ Griffin, this deal lands the Sixers nearly a complete lineup of high-ceiling prospects to grow alongside Tyrese Maxey and form one of the most promising cores in the NBA.
Bogdan Bogdanovic could also easily be flipped later in the easy for an additional first-round pick if need be. Gaining established young talents like the Hawks that would be theoretically acquired in this deal would much better serve Philadelphia in a rebuild than nabbing a few extra rolls in the crapshoot that is the NBA Draft. Factoring the Sixers' past with lottery picks makes this a much more favorable direction over trying to load up on as many future selections as possible.
The Hawks may be losing four rotation players in this deal, but they instantly become one of the biggest threats to make it out of the Eastern Conference bracket. Adding Embiid's interior dominance to a backcourt consisting of Trae Young and Dejounte Murray gives Atlanta one of the most dangerous triumvirates in NBA history. The Hawks would have plenty of depth left over to fill out the rest of the rotation or make further moves to complement their new core.
