Welcome back to the Joel Embiid trade series on kawntent sports. Harden is rumored to be unhappy which could lead to an Embiid trade demand, and this series explores what could happen from that demand. This time, Embiid goes to Atlanta forming a dynamic duo with another high-scoring guard in Trae Young. Let's get right into it!
NOTE: The trade fails because Montrezl Harrell can't be traded until October 15th. This is slightly before the start of the season. I anticipate that the Harden trade, if it ends up happening, will probably be at the earliest in late August and could drag out into the preseason in October. Embiid would obviously wait until something actually happens with Harden to demand his own trade, so his demand could be much later, around opening night (October 24th) by which point Harrell can be dealt.
Why the Hawks do this:
This is a bargain to get a reigning MVP in Joel Embiid. They give up two unprotected firsts along with three swaps and a variety of young players. However, they manage to retain Trae Young, Dejounte Murray, and several other rotational pieces. The Trae Young/Joel Embiid duo should immediately be vaulted into championship conversations as Young is essentially a better version of current Harden and Murray fits better than Tyrese Maxey, along with a slightly better supporting cast than Embiid's from Philly. They sacrifice a lot of young talent, but it could be worth it for such a good player in his prime.
Why the 76ers do this:
In terms of young players, this could be close to the best offer in exchange for Joel Embiid. Assuming the Harden trade package is mostly pick-based, the Sixers lineup after this deal looks like Maxey/Melton/Hunter/Harris/Okongwu with an extremely solid bench full of tradeable assets. The Sixers here end up in essentially the same situation as the Brooklyn Nets and one of the incoming assets or one of their current players is bound to break out in this situation, whether it's Maxey, AJ Griffin, Onyeka Okongwu, or even De'Andre Hunter somehow. The team won't be horrible but it won't be great, which is fine entering a weak draft class, and will allow players' trade values to increase before a potential second blow-up in the 2024 offseason to try and get the best out of the 2025 rookie class. The Sixers also replenish their drained draft pick cabinet, acquiring two unprotected first rounders as well as some swaps.
The Hawks haven't really been talked about as an Embiid destination, but they are quite an interesting one in my opinion. Do you think the reigning MVP will fit in there? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.