If the Philadelphia 76ers were interested in trading Joel Embiid this summer, the Chicago Bulls should inquire about what a deal could look like. Obviously, taking on Embiid’s long-term money would be dangerous for the Bulls, but it could also be an interesting concept. Embiid could help them when on the court, and by the time he’s in the final year of his deal, perhaps they could flip him.
Embiid can never stay on the court. But the Bulls aren’t exactly in the best place to start competing right away. A trade for Embiid would be their way of taking on a distressed asset and trying to see what it could become a year or two down the line, ideally while taking on some draft capital as compensation.
But that depends on what the Sixers are interested in this summer.
Bulls could consider a Joel Embiid trade
Trading for Embiid would effectively be the Bulls’ way of admitting they probably aren’t going to be ready to compete for a championship in the next three seasons.
And you know what, that’s probably true. Unless Caleb Wilson turns into the next generational superstar (not impossible), it will probably take Chicago at least a few years to bounce all the way back.
Taking on a contract as large as Embiid’s (three years left, including a $67.4 million player option in the final year) would be extreme, but if they got the right deal done, maybe it could be worth it. Perhaps Chicago could even unload Patrick Williams’ contract in the deal.
If the Sixers are really looking to trade Embiid, perhaps the Bulls could try to get a first-round pick out of them. It would give Philly significantly more financial freedom to build around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe in the coming years.
Meanwhile, the Bulls wouldn’t have to worry too much about Embiid’s availability, as they likely won’t be in the title mix anyway. Plus, Embiid’s on-court contributions could help the Bulls avoid being one of the worst three teams in the NBA (keeping them out of the new lottery odds’ relegation zone).
Then, next summer, if Embiid is at least a bit healthy, Chicago could look to add pieces in free agency or on the trade market to help them try to compete for a playoff spot.
It’s an out-there idea. It’s almost definitely not going to happen. But maybe, just maybe, there could be a framework that would work for both the Bulls and the 76ers.
Add us as a preferred source on Google