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Does the New-Look Sixers Front Office Change Joel Embiid’s Future?
By Sean Barnard
Published:
Joel Embiid has been synonymous with the Philadelphia 76ers for over a decade. He trails only Steph Curry and Giannis Antetokounmpo as the longest-tenured players in the NBA to remain on the team that drafted them, and Antetokounmpo appears destined to be removed from this list in the near future.
But for the first true time in the Embiid era, his future is at a crossroads. The decade-long battle with his own body has taken its toll, and the Sixers have quietly painted a promising picture for life after Embiid, built primarily due to their dynamic young backcourt. But this does not change the fact that the former MVP signed on the dotted lines on a contract extension that will keep him in Philadelphia for the next two seasons with a $67.2 million player option for the 2028-29 season, unless he’s moved.
Emotion and logic are two paths that typically don’t align when it comes to sports decisions, especially here in Philadelphia.
It’s understandable that a portion of the fanbase is ready to turn a page on the Embiid era. The Process had plenty of vocal critics at the time, and it is undeniable that this era has not produced the desired level of results.
New Sixers President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey did not exactly close the door on the possibility of moving on from Embiid when asked at his opening press conference. The main takeaway from the media availability should be positive. His bluntness about the roster not having the necessary level of talent to be a championship contender was refreshing, and Gansey spoke pointedly about getting players who want to be in Philadelphia. There were also some not-so-subtle comments that could be perceived as challenging the current Sixers star. Gansey referenced how the team must be on the floor together at a more consistent rate, and he talked directly about how Embiid’s defense needs to return to an improved level, with the qualifier of Embiid being “ours right now” drawing some attention:
Front office turnover is nothing new for the Sixers. But it’s fair to note that there is now zero emotional connection to Embiid from the lead decision-makers. The guy who drafted him is long gone, the guy who gave him the contract extension was recently fired, and for the first time since before he arrived, one would think the biggest questions in the interview process for the new front office members were not entirely driven by maximizing an Embiid-led team.
If the right offer comes along, the Sixers would almost certainly be ready to pull the trigger on a deal. It also feels likely they’re putting more effort into exploring these options than has largely been the case across his tenure. But this does not change the hurdle that it would take to make this possible.
Other teams are familiar with every reason that the Sixers would be looking to explore this type of reset deal. You aren’t pulling a fast one on another organization that isn’t aware of the injury issues and the contract. With the effects of the new CBA still fully taking shape, carrying these types of top-heavy contracts has ripple effects and roster limitations more than ever before. The NBA refuses to call it this, but the second-apron essentially serves as a hard-cap for teams, and there are plenty of intricacies with the limitations that come with spending to certain levels below this number. Without getting into the specifics, teams are forced to be more cost-conscious than ever before.
It also tends to be a rule of thumb in the NBA that the team that gets the best player in a trade tends to win the deal. Basketball, especially at the NBA level, is a sport in which one player can make such a massive difference in the outlook for an organization. This makes the conversation increasingly difficult when it comes to Embiid. Even with him not being the peak version of himself, the two-time scoring champion is still conservatively a top-25 player in basketball when he’s on the court. Across his 38 regular games played this year, Embiid averaged 26.9 points, 7.7 rebounds, 3.9 assists, and 1.2 blocks per game. The Sixers do not scrap out of the 3-1 series hole if it were not Embiid fighting to return from appendix surgery at such a rapid rate, and he was the basketball chess piece that shifted the entire outlook against Boston. This is not addition by subtraction.
The clearest argument toward moving on from Embiid is turning a page emotionally. It’s fair to note how much the style of basketball changes when the superstar is there and when he is not. The lack of identity in this team has also been a popular topic among the new front office. The Sixers were not particularly elite in any specific category last year, and their identity was notably different when Embiid was there versus when he wasn’t. But it should also be fair to note that just taking Embiid off this team without a replacement is a team with a ceiling that is likely in the play-in tournament range. Sure, this is where they ended up this season with his availability issues, but the grass doesn’t get greener.
The other notable quote from Gansey’s opening press conference was his desire to bring in “fountains, not drains.”
When you dig around and ask, you will get a variety of answers for where Embiid falls on this scale. The seven-time All-Star has not been a model leader or teammate through the years, nor has he been a guy who has derailed the outlook for the organization. I don’t not subscribe to the theory that your best player must be your leader, but Embiid has never been the guy to leap at the opportunity to be the leading locker room presence in Philadelphia. Stories leaking about frustration with the star player being late for team activities are more than a footnote, and it does feel like culture is becoming a more prominent buzzword around the team.
But if you are truly in the business of trading Embiid, this is a decision you only get to make once. While he is not going to get magically healthier in the advanced stages of his career, the contract does become more tolerable from a salary cap perspective for every year that passes by, which makes it easier to move. What is the harm in challenging Embiid to be more available and raise his defensive level coming into this season? If this challenge works, and he is able to play more consistently, Embiid is likely back in the MVP conversation. Is his presence disruptive to the growth of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe to the point where it’s best to move on, regardless of the return? These are conversations surely occurring behind the scenes with the new front office regime, but I continue to come back to the conclusion that the best path forward for the Sixers still involves Embiid as a part of it.
Adding depth must be a priority given the lack of playable postseason options the Sixers had this past season. But Embiid is not the only answer here. Paul George has two years, with the second being a player option, remaining on his deal, which makes him easier to move. Unlike Embiid, George can be put on any roster in the NBA and find a way to make a positive impact. Even with his suspension, and not being the full max contract player he was signed to be, George was clearly a net positive for this Sixers team whenever he was on the floor. If the goal is just opening up some financial flexibility, this feels like a more manageable path.
Embiid may never get the storybook ending that seemed fitting. But allowing him to write chapters elsewhere should only be a decision made if there is a clear benefit for the Sixers moving forward. It should be viewed as a positive that the Sixers no longer live and die with the outlook of the big man’s availability. But allowing this process to continue while Embiid is still a part of the equation is an option that is absolutely still on the table.
Sean Barnard has covered the Philadelphia 76ers and general Philly Sports for over six years in a variety of roles and for multiple outlets. Currently works as a Content Writer for DraftKings Network, Sixers/NBA Insider for Philadelphia's Fox Sports the Gambler, and co-host of Sixers & Phillies Digest on Youtube. Forever Trusting the Process.