Kings Could Be a Joel Embiid Trade Suitor, but Why They Need to Stay Away

The Sacramento Kings could be looking at a major talent upgrade this offseason. After the Philadelphia 76ers were swept by the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs and subsequently fired Daryl Morey, questions around the future of their roster have started to emerge.

Most notably, there are plenty of question marks surrounding Joel Embiid's future with the 76ers, as the 2022-23 NBA MVP could be looking for a new home. With injury concerns and a huge contract, Embiid's trade value is likely at an all-time low, and not many teams are expected to show interest in him this summer. However, the Kings could be one of the lone suitors.

NBA insider Jake Fischer on The Stein Line reported that the Kings have been mentioned as a potential destination for Embiid, bringing up the idea of a Domantas Sabonis swap.

"One longshot scenario that does get mentioned by rival team strategists is a [Joel] Embiid-for-Domantas Sabonis swap with Sacramento … but even longshot might be underselling it," Fischer reported. "Both former All-Star big men could probably use a fresh start, but there's just no getting around the fact that Embiid, at 32, seems incapable of holding up for a deep playoff run. Which certainly shortens the list of potential suitors."

People around the league think a Joel Embiid-for-Domantas Sabonis trade could work, per @JakeLFischer

“One longshot scenario that does get mentioned by rival team strategists is an Embiid-for-Domantas Sabonis swap with Sacramento … but even longshot might be underselling it.… pic.twitter.com/ySBimUtyPo
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 13, 2026

Embiid is arguably the second-best center in the NBA over the past decade, but is it a good idea for the Kings to target him on the trade market?

Should the Kings stay away?

The 32-year-old star center took over the league for a few years from 2020 to 2023, but then injuries got the best of him. Over the last three seasons, Embiid has failed to play more than 39 games, including a 38-game 2025-26 campaign.

Embiid is obviously not the same player that we saw when he averaged 33.1 points and 10.2 rebounds per game en route to a dominant MVP campaign in 2022-23, but is he still worth giving a shot? The idea of swapping Sabonis for Embiid is intriguing, but it is likely not worth it.

May 10, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks on against the New York Knicks in the second quarter during game four of the second round of the 2026 NBA Playoffs at Xfinity Mobile Arena. | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Embiid has not appeared in more than six consecutive games since December 2023, so why would any franchise want a player as injury-prone as him? Sure, the Kings' front office has made some bad decisions in the past, but they would be trading for a player who literally cannot stay on the floor.

On top of his injury history, the seven-time All-Star still has three years left on his contract worth $187.9 million ($62.6M AAV), marking the NBA's fourth-largest average salary. Is he worth that? Of course not.

What would it take?

For the Kings to even entertain this idea, the 76ers would have to include draft capital. Granted, the Kings will likely be content with trading away Sabonis, but bringing in a far more expensive, injury-prone, and older center to replace him would take some convincing.

The 76ers would likely love to swap Embiid for Sabonis, and if they attach a couple of first-round picks to the deal, the Kings could be more willing to accept. Here is what a potential deal could look like:

Kings receive: Joel Embiid, Justin Edwards, 2026 FRP (via LAC), 2031 FRP (via PHI)

76ers receive: Domantas Sabonis, Malik Monk

Would this deal actually happen? Probably not, but it does sort of make sense for the Kings. In the slight chance that Embiid is actually healthy and plays up to his MVP-caliber standard, the Kings would immediately be contending for a playoff spot. Embiid's ceiling as a player is much higher than Sabonis', but it is still hard to justify the idea.

Of course, keep in mind that Fischer reported this scenario is very unlikely, but it is still worth monitoring as we get deeper into the offseason.

Follow us on Facebook and X for the latest Sacramento Kings news.

Add us as a preferred source on Google