The Miami Heat and New York Knicks are keeping tabs on what happens with Philadelphia 76ers star center Joel Embiid, according to Yahoo! Sports’ Vincent Goodwill.
The Sixers are having a messy offseason, as star guard James Harden wants out from the team. Harden believes that it is too late to repair his relationship with the Sixers and president of basketball operations Daryl Morey.
That could lead to Embiid wanting out from the drama.
“However, another preseason distraction could turn commissioner Adam Silver into a shade of copper, and send the reigning MVP over the edge and into Morey’s office to ask out,” Goodwill wrote.
The Heat and Knicks – two playoff teams from last season – could be in solid positions to make moves for Embiid.
“Everyone’s circling, waiting,” a league source told Yahoo! Sports. “The Knicks and Miami are keeping an eye on everything going on.”
Miami’s offseason has been covered in Damian Lillard trade rumors, but the team could look to pivot if the Portland Trail Blazers can’t come to an agreement with them. Embiid, the reigning league MVP, would be a great addition to any team this offseason.
New York, who earned the No. 5 seed in the East last season, hasn’t had a flashy offseason. The team traded away former lottery pick Obi Toppin, and it added guard Donte DiVincenzo in free agency.
DiVincenzo is now reunited with college teammates Josh Hart and Jalen Brunson.
The Knicks are armed with a ton of draft capital that could help them make a deal for Embiid. New York could have four first-round picks in the 2024 NBA Draft if they convey. There are protections on three of the picks that New York owns.
In the 2022-23 season, Embiid captured his first MVP award while leading the Sixers to the No. 3 seed in the Eastern Conference. He averaged 33.1 points per game to capture his second straight scoring title.
The former lottery pick also averaged 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists and 1.7 blocks per game while shooting 54.8 percent from the field and 33.0 percent from beyond the arc.
There’s no doubt that the 29-year-old is one of the best players in the NBA, but Philly may have a hard time getting him to buy in if it has to move Harden this offseason.
The Sixers are trying to compete for a title, but trading away a player of Harden’s caliber would certainly make it hard for them to do so – especially since the team has very little leverage if Harden refuses to play for it.
While Embiid would probably need to ask out for the Sixers to even consider trading him, it’s certainly something to keep an eye on for Miami fans.
