76ers negotiate 4-for-1 trade with Heat, Embidetram reunited in Miami?
The Sixers have won five straight to move into third place in the Eastern Conference and within one win of the second-place Celtics. The 76ers didn’t try to outdo the Celtics. Based on the current playoff situation, if the regular season ends here, the Sixers would open the playoffs against the Knicks. The Special Teams will take on the once-struggling Heat. Fans of both teams may remember last season’s Eastern Conference finals, when it came down to the wire. The Heat had a chance at the end of the quarter, but Jimmy Butler’s final 3-pointer hit the rim and the Celtics survived.
The Knicks are a better team than the seasoned Heat, but with the Eastern Conference standings in flux, the Sixers don’t need to start thinking about playoff opponents. This time. Play well for the future games. The Sixers have the best chance to win this season. Harden and Embiid are the league leaders in assists and scoring, respectively. There is a danger of breaking down the machine. Harden was not happy with his treatment in Philadelphia. He didn’t get enough respect for taking a pay cut to re-sign last summer. Sixers management and Coach Doc Rivers have publicly emphasized Embiid’s absolute core status.
Harden has the right to opt out of his contract this summer, and he must. His old team, the Rockets, has already courted him. Porter Jr. didn’t play well. Houston needs to add a solid point guard, but the Sixers can’t let go of Harden, and Embiid doesn’t have what it takes to lead a team to a championship. Recently, the US media suggested that the 76ers and the Heat will discuss a 1 for 4 trade offer this summer. If negotiations go well, Confucius and Jimmy Butler could reunite in Miami. The 76ers would trade Joel Embiid for Bam Adebayo, Nikola Jovic, Miami’s 2023 first-round pick and Miami’s 2027 first-round pick.
Embiid, 28, is 2.13 meters tall with a 2.28 meter arm span and weighs 127 kilograms. This season, he is averaging 33.4 points, 10 rebounds, 4.1 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.6 blocks in 34.9 minutes per game. He shot 53.9 percent from the field. He represents the top center in the league. He is physically strong, faceoff strong, has excellent post singles skills and is good at 1-on-1 singles. He can grab the attention of defenders and create scoring opportunities for other teammates. On the defensive end, Embiid’s role is clear. With his long arm span and tough style of play, he also has a good performance in marking and rim protection. Embiid and Jimmy Butler spent one season together with the 76ers. They have similar personalities and respect each other. If they can reunite with the Heat, they could make another run at the title.
The Sixers certainly won’t give up Embiid easily, but if he asks to leave, that’s a different story. If the 76ers can’t keep Harden or don’t have the cap space to keep him and lose their title chances, Embiid would likely choose to leave. Adebayor, 25, is 2.08 meters tall with a 2.20 meter arm span and weighs 116 kilograms. He is the center/power forward on the court. He is averaging 20.9 points, 9.4 rebounds, 3.2 assists and 1.2 steals in 35 minutes per game this season. 54.1 percent. Although not as good as Embiid on offense, Adebayor has been an influential presence on the defensive end and is expected to win defensive Player of the year honors. With Embiid gone, Harden is the rightful leader in Philadelphia, and the 76ers are not without a title shot.
