Would New York Knicks Pay 'Huge Price' for Joel Embiid Trade?

The New York Knicks would no doubt target Joel Embiid if the Philadelphia 76ers put him on the trade block.

Jeremy Brener | Mar 31, 2024

Jan 5, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) reacts / Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports

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Reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid is trying to heal to help the Philadelphia 76ers in their playoff run.

Since Embiid last played on Jan. 30 before he was lost to a meniscus injury, Philadelphia (40-35) has fallen to the Eastern Conference Play-In Tournament with a mark of 11-15. Sixers management expects Embilld to return before the postseason begins, no matter the round.

But even if Embiid does return in time to help, both he and the Sixers have an uphill battle ahead of them.

Perhaps this would behoove Embiid to look for other options to help get closer to a championship. Tensions reportedly rose as the 76ers embarked on a bit of a change-up, bringing in Nick Nurse as the head coach and trading James Harden to the Los Angeles Clippers. The struggles of this season could put Embiid back on the radar of the division rival New York Knicks, so theorizes an offseason wish list compiled by Zach Buckley of Bleacher Report.

Mar 1, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Injured Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid smiles / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

"An interior difference-maker like Embiid could be the perfect complement to a perimeter star like Brunson, and the Knicks have enough depth that they wouldn't need to gut the roster to bring them together," Buckley wrote.
"They would, of course, have to cash in essentially all of their top trade chips, as an Embiid blockbuster might require something in the neighborhood of four first-round picks, pick swaps on top of that, and then whatever young or established talent Philadelphia wanted."

"That's a huge price to pay, but when the potential reward is this rich, New York would gladly accept."

It remains to be seen whether Embiid has played his last game with the 76ers. The Knicks have been linked to him for a while, and the longer Philadelphia holds onto him, the more questionable his situation becomes ... unless they win a championship. But a team in the middle of the pack in the East likely isn't good enough to truly contend for a title, even if Embiid is healthy.

That could prompt the 76ers to make a move, and if they ever do, the Knicks will be on the phone.

Published Mar 31, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.