Dave DaButcher wrote:Per ESPN, league insiders expect the 76ers to explore trading Embiid if they don't make it past the 2nd round of the playoffs again.
Question: how would you guys feel about trading our boy Mitch plus a large portion of our draft assets for him? And could we even put together an attractive enough package to get him while still keeping RJ? (Obviously, doing so would then require that we trust in the new regime to attract and build the rest of the roster via free agency, which seems to be the main point in bringing Rose et al in here anyway.)
"There is no consensus, but league execs think that if the Sixers do explore a trade, Embiid is more likely to be moved -- health being the determining factor in building around Simmons. One exec added that a big trade featuring Simmons or Embiid might be the only way to reshape the team."
https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/28737693/nine-chaotic-moments-shake-suddenly-stable-nba
That's a tough interesting question.
Embiid no doubt is one of the top 20 players in the NBA IMO. He's young. He's multi-faceted. He's a monster. But my question is how easy is it to build a team around him or with him as a no.1 or 1A? Also how does he work on making his team and his teammates better?
On Building a team around Embiid...
Maybe I'm misreading Embiid's skillset a bit but he strikes me as someone that clearly needs to ball to go through his hands on most every possession. Not an issue in and of itself right? However I'm just not seeing what type of players would work with him and more importantly be able to win with him. So he can shoot real well for a big, and he has post skills that extend out a bit into the realm of creating his own shot. But he's not a true shot creator. Someone that you can give the ball to and have him really break down defenses to either create an open shot for himself of dish to a teammate when defenses get pulled off of your drive.
I'm thinking maybe with a willing PG that is defensive centric, doesn't need to have the ball in his hands once the ball gets past midcourt but can still consistently be the ball handling up until you get it past midcourt? Someone that can shoot but not need to put up points? I'm not seeing many players that fit into that type of skill level or willing to check their ego at the door. Point guards are like QB's...I don't see many ultra talented PG's that would be ok with having the ball consistently go through someone else. Just doesn't work in today's NBA. Now maybe on a high scoring team where Embiid can get his touches AND the 'other alpha' can also get his but definitely not in a half court system do I see Embiid AND team together can function to that elite level.
Other players? I mean yeah, yeah, shooters, blah, blah and defenders. But that's NOT a real way of building a top team. If it were that easy everyone would do it. But you need guys that can pass when it needs to, shoot when it needs to, that is willing to be 'muscle' for Embiid but that also can do what Embiid does to some degree if and when Embiid is not on the court (for continuity sake).
Just throwing it out there...Embiid on the Warriors probably would be very interesting. Steph Curry and Draymond Green and that high scoring offense (when everyone is healthy of course) could be an excellent fit for Embiid. He'd have to give up some of his ball dominance but I think the fact that he'll get more touches and easier baskets will make that transition be ok.
I just can't see a team being able to win a title with Embiid doing what he's currently doing.
On Embiid the person...
Embiid comes off as a potential a-hole IMO. Definitely to other teams players. My question is how does his overall personality impact his own team and his own players? We've seen extremely talented players actually make their teams worse or, at the very least, make them not near as good as they should be (and no I'm not talking about unrealistic expectations where if the guy isn't Lebron James level he's worthless). Kyrie Irving is a great current example. Irving without a doubt is one of the 'best' players at his position in the NBA. But it's not hard to argue that his teams not only don't do as well as you think they should with him on it but that they are actually worse when he's on it and playing. Question is, is Joel Embiid that same type of player? Don't know.
This is really just as if not important than the fit. Some guys just can't make his teammates better beyond what they can put up on the scoreboard themselves. We've seen this with Steph Marbury and probably also with Carmelo Anthony. Not that they were terrible players but it is what it is. Yes, yes, Embiid plays more defense, blah, blah, but the point is still the same. Some players are just not 'leaders of men', guys that can elevate and (positively) challenge and motivate his teammates to give it their all and by into the whole program. I'm sensing Embiid as one of those potential players.
Would I trade Mitch Robinson and the 1st for Embiid? Perhaps. Goes into the whole "what is the plan" thing right? If the plan is to not build the 'traditional' way and you want to go for big fish signings then obviously having an all-star talent in his prime would help potentially attract the big fish free agents (although obviously the assumption is that Embiid is not just an unlikeable guy). But then again, if I'm a basketball executive I would/should know how a guy like Embiid is viewed among his peers especially IF my plan was to build through free agency and/or trades. If I don't know, I can ask and find out easy enough. So if the plan was to build through FA and/or trades then absolutely Embiid would be considered as an option just like guys like Beal or any in their prime all-star level talent. If the plan is to build a "team" that is in my image and that I can develop into a cohesive group with a singlular mindset? Probably not.
damn.
