Debating the Viability of Trading Joel Embiid

I applied Mike Sielski's thoughtful article in the Inquirer about trading Joel Embiid. Sielski is quite negative regarding the possibility. He basically says Embiid is untradable because of his injury history and because of his brilliance when he is not injured. I disagree. Coaches are egotistical, some more than others, and all you need is one out of 30 who thinks he’s got the answer about how to use them, thereby minimizing the injury issue. If Carson Wentz was tradable, and for a first-round draft pick, anyone is tradable.

It was clear toward the end of the sixth game, and certainly the seventh game against Boston, that neither Harden nor Embiid, nor the combination, was ever going to bring a championship to Philadelphia, maybe never an Eastern Conference final. Brilliance, or flashes thereof, during the season don’t really mean much in today’s NBA, particularly in Philadelphia. Fans weren’t expecting to see the Sixers get beyond the second round this year, but I’m not convinced that they can do it, because Embiid will be prone to some freak injury, as has been the case in almost every postseason he’s played in.

What the Sixers need most is someone who is consistent at the scorer position, who is playoff-tested, and who is clutch. The Sixers don’t have anybody on the roster like that. You never know what you’re going to get out of Maxi or Har. The Sixers can get an excellent three-point shooter and a good-to-very-good, durable, consistent big; the trade is a no-brainer.

Here’s hoping Daryl Morey and one other coach in the NBA agree.