Should the Raptors Pursue a Joel Embiid Deal? The 76ers' Situation Reveals the Answer

The Toronto Raptors are not ready to go all-in

Every year, a superstar hits the trade market, and somehow, the Raptors get dragged into the speculation. Kevin Durant? Damian Lillard? The rumors never stop.

This summer, though, it shouldn’t happen.

Joel Embiid should not be on Toronto’s radar. Any connection between the Raptors and Embiid seems overblown. A sportsbook suggested Toronto has a roughly six percent chance to land him, while also listing a 99.9 percent probability that the former MVP stays in Philadelphia.

That is not to say Embiid, when healthy, would not help.

At his best, the 30-year-old center is one of the league’s most dominant players, a game-changer on defense and nearly unstoppable offensively. If Toronto could land a fully healthy Embiid, he would transform the franchise.

But that is the problem: his health.

Embiid has played just 58 games since last season and has not looked right this year. ESPN reports he will likely need another knee surgery this offseason, making his future uncertain. Given his injury history, it is hard to imagine him staying healthy enough to get through a full season, let alone a deep playoff run.

His contract makes the risk even greater. He is owed $248 million through 2028-29 and his age-34 season, and just to match salaries, Toronto would likely have to give up both Immanuel Quickley and Jakob Poeltl. That's without considering what the 76ers would even be looking for in a deal for Embiid

Where would that leave the Raptors?

Scottie Barnes is a rising defensive star. Brandon Ingram is a talented shot creator. RJ Barrett can generate offense as a secondary or tertiary option. Adding a healthy Embiid to that mix would make Toronto better, but would it make them a title contender? That seems unlikely.

This is not 2018 when the Raptors had the depth and talent to swap DeMar DeRozan and Poeltl for Kawhi Leonard and Danny Green, then manage Leonard's workload on the way to a championship. Back then, the risk was worth it because if Leonard’s health did not hold up, the Raptors would not be stuck long term.

Toronto’s best path forward is patience, not a risky win-now gamble.