Blockbuster NBA Mock Trade: Philadelphia 76ers Deal Joel Embiid To San Antonio Spurs

A blockbuster mock trade sending Joel Embiid to the Spurs could reshape the NBA landscape, pairing him with Victor Wembanyama to form a terrifying frontcourt and ignite San Antonio's title push.

Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks on during the third quarter against the Boston Celtics at Wells Fargo Center. | Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

The San Antonio Spurs are quietly — or maybe not so quietly anymore — cooking up something magical in South Texas. Call it vision, call it patience, call it something special. Whatever it is, the blueprint centers around a 7’4” unicorn who’s already looking like the face of the next NBA era: Victor Wembanyama.

Last season was a mixed bag — flashes of brilliance tempered by unfortunate luck. The Spurs made a bold midseason move by trading for All-Star guard De’Aaron Fox, injecting veteran firepower into their backcourt. But just as momentum built, Wemby was sidelined with a serious health scare involving blood clots, cutting his season short and delaying San Antonio’s rise.

Now, heading into 2025-26, it’s go-time. And the front office is signaling that they're done playing the long game.

Instead of trading down in the 2025 NBA Draft, the Spurs doubled down on upside, grabbing dynamic Rutgers guard Dylan Harper with the No. 2 pick. Add him to a growing core that already includes Fox and the versatile, smooth Stephon Castle — and suddenly, San Antonio’s guard play looks as explosive as it does deep. But here’s where things get spicy.

What if the Spurs swing for the fences?

The NBA Mock Trade Between The 76ers And Spurs That Could Break The West Wide Open: 

San Antonio Spurs receive:

C Joel Embiid

Philadelphia 76ers receive:

G/F Devin Vassell

F Harrison Barnes

F Jeremy Sochan

Three future first-round picks

Let’s be honest — this is the kind of trade that would light NBA Twitter on fire. On the surface, it’s a classic win-now vs. rebuild swap. But dig a little deeper, and the logic checks out for both teams.

Sixers-Spurs NBA Mock Trade | ESPN

This move would give San Antonio a seven-win jump from their current projection. Trading role players and draft picks isn't easy, but to become a top-tier team in the West is worth it.

Why The Trade Makes Sense For The Spurs:

Imagine this core lineup:

PG: De’Aaron Fox

SG: Stephon Castle

SF: Carter Bryant

PF: Joel Embiid

C: Victor Wembanyama

Sixth Man: Dylan Harper

Bench: Julian Champagnie 

Bench: Kelly Olynyk 

Bench: Luke Kornett 

Bench: Jordan McLaughlin

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Yes, it’s not typically ideal to have a rookie like Carter Bryant in the starting lineup but given that he doesn’t need the ball in his hands to make an impact, is a great spot up three-point shooter, and has defensive tenacity that rivals any rookie, he’s actually the perfect glue guy between the frontcourt and the backcourt at the small forward spot. 

This is not just a roster — that’s a championship threat.

Wembanyama has already shattered expectations, winning Rookie of the Year and landing an All-Star nod in his first two seasons. But he’s never shared the frontcourt with another dominant big. Enter Embiid: a former MVP and arguably the most skilled post scorer in the league. His sheer strength and low-post presence would allow Wemby to roam freely, disrupt passing lanes, and erase shots with his freakish length.

As ClutchPoints' Jedd Pagaduan put it:

“A frontcourt of Embiid and Wembanyama would be so terrifying to deal with… Wembanyama has the range and mobility to be a pest on defense every which way, while Embiid can be parked closer to the basket and deal with the bigger post brutes that give Wemby trouble.”

The Twin Towers 2.0 concept brings a tantalizing mix of old-school intimidation and modern versatility. Yes, spacing becomes a question mark with Vassell and Barnes out of the picture, but Embiid and Wemby both have soft touches from deep. Harper’s growth as a perimeter shooter would be key — but if the guards develop, this offense would be nearly impossible to scheme against.

The concern, of course, is Embiid’s durability. He’s suited up for just over 50% of the games across his career. But in a load-managed NBA, the Spurs could treat the regular season like the appetizer and keep Embiid fresh for a deep playoff run. If they stay healthy, no one’s eager to face this group in a seven-game series.

Why It Makes Sense for the Sixers

Philadelphia has been dancing on the edge of contender status for what feels like a decade. The addition of Paul George and the continued rise of Tyrese Maxey give them one of the East’s most watchable rosters, but can they really hang with the fully armed Cavs or Knicks?

Embiid remains a generational talent — but he's also 31, expensive, injury-prone, and occasionally disengaged. At some point, Philly may need to pivot.

This trade allows them to reload quickly. Vassell and Sochan give them two high-ceiling two-way wings, while Barnes offers playoff-tested leadership. More importantly, the three first-rounders provide ammo for future moves. Pair that core with Maxey, rookie standout VJ Edgecombe, and Jared McCain, and the Sixers can finally hand the keys to a new era without bottoming out.

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Would the Spurs do it? Only if they’re ready to leap now.
Would the Sixers do it? Only if they’re ready to move on from “The Process” and let Maxey lead.

But if this mock deal ever materializes, buckle up — the Western Conference pecking order could be in for a seismic shakeup.

Fantasy Basketball Impact

The biggest winner in this trade would easily be Maxey. He would emerge as Philly’s go-to scoring weapon and log a ridiculously high usage rate. Vassell would also probably see a slight uptick in counting stats. Embiid and Wemby would likely siphon off stats from each other but Wemby would still be a top-three pick in fantasy leagues and when healthy, Embiid would be a top-20 option.