Joel Embiid has shaken up Sixers fans with comments he made during an interview at the Uninterrupted Film Festival in Los Angeles, tweets Derek Bodner of The Daily Six. The reigning MVP talked about his desire to capture an NBA title, but he raised the possibility that it may not happen in Philadelphia (video link).
“I just want to win a championship. Whatever it takes,” Embiid said. “I don’t know where that’s gonna be, whether it’s in Philly or anywhere else, I just want to have a chance to accomplish that.”
The 29-year-old center hasn’t advanced past the second round of the playoffs in his nine years with the Sixers, including a seven-game loss to the Celtics in the Eastern Conference semifinals last season. The team’s status as a legitimate title contender may be in jeopardy in the wake of James Harden‘s trade request.
The Knicks have been repeatedly mentioned as a potential landing spot for Embiid if he ever decides to ask the Sixers for a trade. He’s under contract for three more seasons and has a $59MM player option for 2026/27.
Whether it was his intention or not, Embiid’s comments sent a clear message to the Sixers front office that they have to handle the Harden situation correctly, observes Kyle Neubeck of The Philly Voice. Management can’t afford to take a step back this season, knowing that its best player might be starting to consider other options.
There’s more from the Atlantic Division:
- Grant Williams tells Adam Himmelsbach of The Boston Globe that he began to realize his future was somewhere else when he and the Celtics failed to reach an agreement on a rookie scale extension last summer. “I kind of had perspective,” said Williams, who was shipped to the Mavericks in a sign-and-trade deal. “Even after the season and before the Kristaps (Porzingis) trade, I had some understanding of what I was trying to accomplish in free agency, and where I saw myself moving forward.”
- Celtics president of basketball operations Brad Stevens landed one first-round pick, six second-rounders and a second-round swap this summer, but he’s not intending to use most of them, Himmelsbach adds in another Boston Globe story. “The coach in me would tell you I don’t have a ton of interest in picking eight second-round picks,” Stevens said. “But eventually those are trade chips. Those are potentially good second-round picks that you can use.”
- Rival teams are skeptical that the Raptors really plan to part with Pascal Siakam or any of their other top players, Marc Stein states in his latest Substack column. However, Stein said that after being at Summer League, he got the “distinct impression” that Toronto will explore making another significant move or two before training camp.
Nba=DIVAS
Dude has a chance at a legacy game(game 7 in Boston(biggest Philly rival). Dude goes 5-18FGs-0-5 3pt) QUITS DURING THE GAME. blames his teammates afterwards. Embiid is a COWARD.
Look at those Philly fans turning on Embiid.
Yeah, that didn’t take long.
Is that dude a sixer fan?
Love to see it, but he is right. Embiid just doesn’t have the killer instinct in the playoffs that you want from your franchise player. He soft.
Calm down, weirdo
Truth hurts, doesn’t it Embiid?
The ending of the show never changes is why they are turning on Embid. It does not appear it’s going to change with or without Harden.
Embiid has had chances; many in fact! He and the team just haven’t capitalised. And no one forced his pen to paper on his lucrative contract. Perhaps it’s not all about going for the bag $$$.
At this point, he’s in Philly until 2026; that was his choice (and or the recommendation of his hired agent). All these players asking for/demanding a trade and trying to bully their teams (you know who they are), should have to pay a substantial penalty for trying to break their contracts.
Never going to happen. Ever. The player’s union won’t go for it even if it deadlocks the next CBA. At best they’d agree to set up some kind of arbitration panel to determine damages for the team trading players away. But they won’t do anything to hinder player movement if they can help it.
The owners or the players union won’t do anything because it’s good for the league and both sides know it. Player movement, trade demands and the eventual blockbuster trades bring attention to the league 24/7 365.
Just add in a negative trade kicker. See how many stars want to move then.
Called it. Embiid already dropping hints about changing teams. Even I expected this to take another year or two. He’s not the same person who showed so much personal strength on his journey to the NBA.
Embiid has all the talent in the world, but he tends to whine a lot and has a history of folding in the clutch. A sore winner and a sore loser both. His attitude over the last couple years is very much like that of a schoolyard bully. That’s not going to get you an NBA championship.
Yup. Obviously not everything is his fault (injuries, Simmons, Doc, etc) but in terms of the things he can control, he has been consistently underwhelming.
It’s the final remnants of the Tanking culture in which Embid developed into an NBA player. It was always a long shot that he could escape it. PHI fans, being fans, ignored it and will again if the circumstances allow. But that didn’t, and won’t, make it go away.
Glad you all are finally coming around to see things my way aka the truth on Embiid. Took you long enough.
What a complete lack of self awareness. 9 years of not making it passed the second round. 9 years! And what’s the only common denominator?
It’s you, Joel.
If he didn’t get past the 2nd round with that loaded 2019 team, he’ll never do it with the Sixers. Might have to be elsewhere.
*Cue Knicks fans who think they can get him by offering some mediocre role players and some protected late firsts*
Knicks have accumulated an arsenal of 1st round picks, and also have young talent to offer including a young center in Mitchell Robinson.
All they really have is a future Mavs, Detroit, Washington, and MIL pick + all of their own.
Detroit and Washington Picks could end-up as fringe lottery picks. Milwaukee will be a later pick. Mavs will likely be in the 20s.
They have picks yes, they aren’t super valuable though. I believe that was the hang up with the Donovan Mitchell trade, aside from giving up future HOFs Grimes and McBride.
Knicks Arsenal:
24 NYK
24 Mavs Top-10 Protected (likely)
24 DET Top 18-Protected (unlikely)
24 WAS Top 12-Protected (unlikely)
25 NYK
25 DET Top-13 Protected (possible)
25 WAS Top 10-Protected (possible to unlikely)
25 MIL Top-4 Protected (likely)
26 NYK
26 DET Top-11 Protected (possible)
26 WAS Top 8-Protected (possible)
27 NYK
27 DET Top-9 Protected (probable)
28 NYK
29 NYK
30 NYK
Why would the Knicks even want Embiid? Lol. I’d rather have the picks tbh and the “mediocre” role players.
This would be the offseason to try and acquire a Top-25 to Top-10 player and use Fourniers contract + low value 1sts. They want these guys but can’t sign them in FA. Will have to trade. Role players are nice. Stars win Championships. Jokic, Giannis, LeBron, Steph, Kawhi.. every team for the last decade basically had a current Top-10 player on their roster. Knicks don’t have that, JB is nice, but won’t be that dude. Randle isn’t that dude. RJ won’t be that dude. No amount of Grimes meat riding will make him that dude. Trade. They certainly won’t draft that dude.
What player would that be that is avail ?
By my account none ,and it be a pitfall to try abd force something
I agree with your concept but it’s a map without an x mark to date imo therefore not that useful
Stars win championships. So why would they waste time on Embiid?
Apparently, Embid isn’t that dude either. Anyway, a rational appeal to history, when recommending a course of action, starts with citing instances of that course of action working. Not merely instances of what you believe are the alternatives not working.
Who’s traded for that dude and then gone on to win it all? I can only think of 1 over the last 40 years, TOR, and that was only because they paid a rental price for KL. Had they paid a full price, they’d have failed as well. Leading stars on championship teams are acquired through the draft (almost always) or in FA (once in a while). Not trade.
LeBron and Bosh S&T to Miami > Championships.
Shaq was traded to Miami > Championship.
Kawhi traded to Toronto > Championship.
Glide traded to Houston > Championships.
KG and Ray Allen traded to Boston > Championship.
Gasol traded to LAL > Championships.
Moses to the Sixers > Championship.
Sorry to burst your bubble but here’s your examples from the last 40 or so years. Everyone of these guys were Top-25 players when traded, most were Top-10.
Well… several great players did not win where they were drafted/started their career. LeBron went to Miami for the first couple, Shaq went to LAL then Miami, KD to GSW, KG and Ray Allen to Boston, AD to LAL, Bosh to Miami, KLove to Cleveland.
I think he’s being realistic. It may not happen in Philly. But the goal remains the same, he wants to win a championship.
Sixers organization wants to win a championship, without going into the luxury tax.
Herro, Lowry, Jovic, Jaime for Embid
Adebayo, Robinson, picks and swaps for Lillard.
Kentucky pair of guards would be great for Philly. And if Philadelphia doesn’t wznt herro, they could trade him to wizards.
Philly would need way more. Embiid is better than Dame, is also younger, less expensive, and signed long term.
Embiid is worth way more than herro and trash from Miami. There’s no possible way they could get embiid without giving up bam herro and picks too.
Q. Has Marc Stein ever been accurate when reporting rumors about the Raps?
A. Not once. Not this year, not ever.
Stop reporting on his made up nonsense.
Yeah, no more hoops rumors on Hoops Rumors please.
That’s said if I’m the Sixers I’m keeping my eyes and ears open to anything.
Harden wants out, Embiid just wants to win and is willing to leave not to mention the injury concerns on him and age getting up there. Tobias expiring deal, PJ is almost 40, Maxey is the only really good young player there.
Obviously the talk has been Dame to Miami, but would Embiid be a better option?
Jimmy and Bam are real close friends, Miami has a reputation of going deep in the playoffs something Joel wants, good HC and all that maybe we take back Bam and then Herro or Lowry or something…
Embiid, PJ and Korkmaz for Bam, Herro and a couple first round picks??
Instantly start shopping Harden obviously
Hey Joel have you ever heard if you aren’t part of the solution you are part of the problem?
I rather have Rudy ….. keep the Whiner.
Cries more than any starting center in the history of the NBA ……..
He deserves Moreyon and Harden …. two hasbeens ……
Embiid is the problem and why sixers can not advance in playoffs. Joel is the only player in NBA history to lead league in scoring and then finish outside of the top 10 in scoring in the subsequent playoffs. Oh, and he did it TWICE
Philly can’t replace Embiid