Sixers Insider Can See Knicks Trade for Joel Embiid 'Absolutely Happening'

While rumblings of a future Joel Embiid trade to the New York Knicks swirl, one Philadelphia 76ers insider sees it as a very real potential outcome.

While there's been no shortage of buzz surrounding the idea of a potential trade sending Joel Embiid to the Knicks, the latest chatter provides an added layer of intrigue.

Although there's no immediate likelihood that the 76ers will part ways with their star big man, even after his recent viral comments, this discussion might not die down until next offseason, if not beyond that. Even still, comments from the Philadelphia Inquirer's Keith Pompey signaling a belief that a future outlook with Embiid in New York is possible have added even more fuel to the fire.

While discussing the idea of a possible Embiid trade with SiriusXM NBA Radio's Evan Cohen and Sam Mitchell, Pompey stated that he could see a trade to the Knicks "absolutely happening."

"Joel already owns a house up in New York, he's had it for a while. The worst-kept secret is that the Knicks have been compiling and keeping ahold of their first-round draft picks hoping, and praying that Joel Embiid asks out ... I can see that absolutely happening," Pompey stated.

Embiid, the reigning NBA Most Valuable Player, is an exciting name to toss around in hypothetical trade ideas, but one recent report points to the odds of that happening still being extremely low.

According to a report from The Athletic's Sam Amick, a high-ranking Sixers source said neither Embiid nor his representatives have shared “any such message [on a future not in Philly] with the team.” Amick also reported that the team's belief is that Embiid would "love" to follow in the career footsteps of Kobe Bryant and Dirk Nowitzki by playing his entire career with one team.

For what it's worth, if things did take a turn for the worst and by some chance, Embiid wanted out of Philly, the Knicks could put together a package that would almost certainly rival any team in the NBA.