NYC Radio Legend: Knicks 'Will Win Nothing' With Joel Embiid Trade

Many New York Knicks fans are enamored with the idea of trading for the Philadelphia 76er's reigning NBA MVP Joel Embiid, but longtime WFAN host Joe Benigno isn't one of them.

Joe B has no interest in Joel E.

Generations of tri-state area sports fans have been entertained by the rants of Joe Benigno, a long-tenured host on nationally-renowned sports talk radio station WFAN. An unapologetic, long-suffering fan of the New York Knicks, Jets, Mets, and Rangers, Benigno announced his retirement in 2020 but has continued to make sporadic appearances on the station, particularly in the midday slot alongside former co-host Evan Roberts.

In his latest appearance on Monday, Benigno addressed comments from newly-minted NBA MVP Joel Embiid, who seemed to hint that his desire for an NBA Finals ring could take him away from the Philadelphia 76ers. Embiid has since walked back those comments in a mild manner but his words and more haven't stopped the imaginations of Knicks fans from running wild. 

One would assume that earning Embiid, costly as such a deal would be, would help bring peace to Benigno, at least when it comes to his love of the Knicks ... but he wants nothing to do with such a trade.

“I absolutely don’t (want him),” Benigno declared. "(The Knicks) will win nothing with him. He’ll never win anything. The only way he’ll win is if he hooks up with Giannis (Antetokounmpo) or the (Golden State) Warriors.”

Embiid has led the NBA in scoring in each of the last two seasons but he and the Sixers have come up short in the postseason. Philadelphia has reached the playoffs in each of the last six seasons but has not reached the conference finals since a victorious visit in 2001. 

Roberts was a tad more optimistic but ultimately agreed with his long-time collaborator that no Larry O'Brien Trophy hoist would follow if the Knicks managed to gain his services.

“I think most Knick fans would give up the moon and the sun for Joel Embiid, but I don’t think you win a damn thing,” Roberts said, citing Embiid's shaky medical history. “Joel Embiid has missed at least a playoff game in every year of his career but one…and this is supposedly the prime of his career. Now you get closer to 30, what do you think is going to happen? He’s going to break down. Ultimately, it would end in colossal failure.” 

At 23 seasons, the Knicks are one of three teams in the NBA with a longer conference final appearance drought than Philadelphia, joined by Washington (44 seasons) and Charlotte (33). 

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Geoff Magliocchetti is on Twitter @GeoffJMags

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