NBA Mock Trade: Joel Embiid Finds New Team in OKC Thunder

James Harden has again made fireworks out of his current situation, on Monday calling Philadelphia 76ers general manager Daryl Morey a “liar” in a circulating video.

This, combined with a string of disappointing postseason losses, could be pushing superstar Joel Embiid closer and closer to a new destination. As has been the trend with several NBA superstars, of late.

But there are going to be few suitors for the MVP’s talents. He’ll of course have a list of desired teams, but there’s going to be few packages that will ease Philadelphia's mind in offloading the player who’s carried them to series after series for the better half of a decade now.

One of those could very well be sent by the Thunder, who have a growing core of young players and likely the best draft pick cache in the league.

For many, trading for Embiid might seem like a no-brainer for OKC. But in all likelihood, they’re fine to keep and develop their current core in hopes of winning down the line. Still, if things happened to fall the right way, they could pull the lever in hopes to minimize their window with potentially more elite, win-now players.

Here’s what a mock trade between Oklahoma City and Philadelphia for Embiid could look like:

Oklahoma City gets: Joel Embiid

Philadelphia gets: Josh Giddey, Luguentz Dort, Davis Bertans, Ousmane Dieng, 2025 Sixers First Round Pick, 2026 Rockets First Round Pick, 2026 Clippers First Round Pick

Operating under the assumption this trade gets done next offseason, Oklahoma City’s return is simple: one of the best players in the league, with two years left on his deal. Embiid, in his prime, gets added to a core of Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Jalen Williams and Chet Holmgren.

In return, the Sixers get a new cornerstone in 20 year old Josh Giddey, who now has his own team to command as the starting point guard.

Lu Dort and Davis Bertans are needed to make the salary work, with the former being a cost effective, solid piece to launch into a new era with. Ousmane Dieng offers another longterm project that could blossom into a great piece down the road.

And finally, the picks, which could very well end up as great selections, are added to compensate the 76ers for offloading a top player.

Any number or combination of players and picks, save for Gilgeous-Alexander, could be added to the trade in order to make the deal work. But for the most part, this would be the initial skeleton, should the unlikely trade transpire.

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