How much longer will Joel Embiid be a 76er? Rival teams have already started gauging what it will take to trade for the reigning MVP, according to Keith Pompey of the Philly Inquirer.
On the platform X, formerly known as Twitter, Pompey tweeted that the Knicks were willing to offer a package including three of Julius Randle, RJ Barrett, Evan Fournier and Mitchell Robinson along with two or three first-round picks in exchange for Embiid.
That trade offer has been (rightly) panned by Sixers fans — it's not much of a haul for one of the best players in the league. It won't be the last one coming, though.
All eyes will be on Embiid with the recent news that Giannis Antetokounmpo is off the board.
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Why timing of Joel Embiid to Knicks trade rumors make sense
Several teams in the league such as the Knicks, Spurs, Nets, Pelicans, Jazz and Thunder have been hoarding first-round picks in the event that a superstar talent becomes available. Many were eyeing Antetokounmpo as that next potential star on the market after he hesitated to sign an extension with the Bucks this summer.
"If I don't feel that [the Bucks aren't putting together a championship roster], I'm not signing," he told The New York Times in August.
The Bucks responded by trading for Damian Lillard shortly after Giannis' remarks. He reversed course on Monday night, signing a three-year extension for $186 million to stay in Milwaukee, per ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski.
With Antetokounmpo off the board, Embiid is the natural next in line to be at the forefront of rumors. There have been no indications that he wants a trade, but the Sixers have failed to put a winner around him.
With the added distraction of a James Harden trade looming, speculation has begun to stir up around what would happen if Embiid were to request a trade. The same will likely happen for Luka Doncic at some point if the Mavs struggle during this season, or Donovan Mitchell if the Cavs take a step back.
What to make of the Knicks' framework for Joel Embiid trade
The Sixers will surely get better offers for Embiid than the one floated by the Knicks. While he has been injury-prone, he's still young enough that he should remain one of the top players in the league over the course of his current deal.
Randle is coming off a season in which he was named Third Team All-NBA, but nobody is putting him in the same stratosphere as Embiid. Barrett is a decent young player in the first year of a huge $107 million deal over the next four seasons. Robinson is a limited but solid player who I had ranked 21st among starting centers. And Fournier isn't even in the Knicks' rotation.
The Knicks have all of their own first-round picks through 2030, four protected first-round picks from other teams and 10 second-round picks, per Bleacher Report's Eric Pincus.
If Embiid ever were made available, then the Sixers would ask for much more than two or three of those picks. Recent history suggests that some team would come up with a gigantic offer.
Just this past summer, the Blazers netted three first-round picks, two pick swaps and three good players in exchange for Damian Lillard. The Suns gave up four first-round picks and a pick swap in exchange for Kevin Durant last February.
At age 29, Embiid is significantly younger than those two superstars. He should return at least the same amount of draft compensation as they did.
Joel Embiid contract details
Embiid is signed through the 2025-26 season, with a player option in 2026-27 for $59.0 million.
Here are the details, via Spotrac:
| Season | Salary |
| 2023-24 | $47,607,350 |
| 2024-25 | $51,415,938 |
| 2025-26 | $55,224,526 |
| 2026-27 | $59,033,114 (PO) |
