Sorry, I know he's the MVP, but when I've watched him play he just doesn't look passionate about the sport except in spurts. As for the play-offs, besides FTs and BLKs his game looks pretty far below an MVP... https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask?q=embiid+stats+22-23+playoffs#:~:text=Joel Embiid averaged 23.7 points,games in the 2023 playoffs. Compared to his 22-23 regular season, his play-off performance was significantly off... https://www.statmuse.com/nba/ask?q=embiid+stats+22-23. Roughly 10pts less, 10% worse FG%, and 16% worse 3P%. Maybe injuries are impacting how hard he plays and that would only support my reason for not wanting him more. As cml750 said, I'm excited about where the rebuild is going as of this year and want to see us play this season before trading for an older, injury-prone vet.
I'm not necessarily in favor of trading for Embiid. I have mixed feelings about it. Anytime you have the reigning MVP on the trade market you're going to see every team at least kick the tires though, and maybe Embiid comes with more questions and asterisks than most of those guys, but he's still a true superstar. And I do think his issues are mostly due to being injury prone, which has been a problem for him literally since before he was even drafted.
Definitely not interested. The price tag would be huge, and I love this rebuilt team. I want to see what they can do.
If there is one person who is more anti-Sengun than anyone, it seems to be Iko. No idea why. The next time he writes anything remotely positive about Sengun without at the same time repeating old falsehoods about him will be the first.
Injury prone and chokes in the playoffs. Pass! Puts up solid stats but does not have a winning mindset nor leads when it matters the most. If he cannot even get to the finals with players like Butler and Harden then I highly doubt any other superstars can help him get there.
What is his prime. He severely under performs in the playoffs. I hate his game. Dude plays so soft and relies on refs to bail him out. We had one of those types of players already. You are not winning a ring with Embiid as your best player.
I pushed for Udoka but I'm second guessing myself. 1) I think Udoka would have pushed Jalen Green x Jaylen Brown trade if Jaylen Brown hadn't qualified for super max $$$. 2) now I can see Udoka push for Sengun trade package for Embiid. Udoka ego of playoff appearances as head coach should not spearhead team construction. VanVleet/Dillon were big mistakes....Embiid would be another
You would not trade Sengun (plus something) for Embiid? Not sure what's going on, but that would mean you would be starting to gain my respect.
Iko the same dude who said 70% Harden to Hou and came up with a plethora of bullsh*t trade ideas this offseason…he’s borderline black Holic to me
So, what would a trade like this look like? FVV + Sengun + filler and a ton of draft capital would work from a financial perspective. May also need to throw in some like Eason. But, I mean, this lineup is interesting. Obviously this would only work if Philly believes they have no other choice but to build around Maxey. Amen - Green - Brooks - Smith - Embiid You could also build a trade package around Brooks, but that would require more thrown-ins. Something like Brooks, KPJ, Sengun, and Tate + a ton of draft capital. FVV - Green - Eason or Whitmore - Smith - Embiid, with Amen off the bench as FVV's eventual replacement.
I don't hate Sengun....just the knuckleheads that always prop these 6'10" white players on a 10 foot tall pedestal years before these players are worthy. I would have liked DMo if these same knuckleheads hadn't done the same with him. Chandler Parsons as well. I've always said, let Sengun develop (without expediting or rushing matters). It's 3rd year.....I strongly believe the 3rd year is when players show their true potential. Jalen Green is in that boat as well. Players peak at age 27, though. Tate and Kenyon did not shoot well enough I year 3, so I'm more likely to lean passing them in trade for upgrades. Unfortunately Kenyon was used more for roster clearance and failed in the upgrade department in my opinion. ______________ I've pushed for team makeup of mostly 3&D 6'6" to 6'10" type players. I've treated Embiid and Jokic as much the same type player where Jokic is a better passer but Embiid is easily the better defender. So some give and take; but no bigs had won a championship in over 20 years.......well Jokic won it last year which showed me a Jokic, a Embiid, a Sengun can win it all if the team stills follows much of my team construct model. Embiid or Jokic or Sengun plus a bunch of long wingspans next to them that can cover up defensive flaws and shoot 3's and create spacing. Denver: Aaron Gordon 6'8" (3&D guy) MPjr 6'10" (3&D guy) Jeff Green 6'8" (3&D somewhat....perimeter shooters have to shoot over him and funnels dribblers to rim protecting defender) Christian Braun 6'7" was 50% on 4 attempts vs T-Wolves (round 1) Rockets Jabari 6'11" (3&D?) Tari 6'8" (3&D? Jeff Green (6'8") Cam Whitmore (6'?"....6'7"....3&D?) Dillon Brooks (6'8"....?3? &D) Can't trade VanVleet or Dillon or Jeff Green until Dec 15th or so...... so Morey would want Sengun, a center replacing a center (Embiid) plus more since Embiid is an MVP candidate each year. Define more?: Jabari, Tari, Cam Whitmore? I'm for letting Sengun, Jalen Green, Jabari, Tari, even KPj develop over playing VanVleet, Dillon, Jeff Green. Udoka would have us trade our youth and leave me stuck with VanVleet, Dillon, Jeff Green, Holiday with Embiid in hopes of assuring he makes the playoffs. 2 years as head coach and 2 years making the playoffs. Whoop-dee-doo. Those shortcuts will shorten our window to contend, IMHO.
I don't think there is any actual evidence that Udoka would want Embiid, or that he would want to trade Sengun.
I don't know why he wouldn't, Embiid is a two-way player who can hit threes. You could argue his production is a supercharged version of what Brook Lopez brings, and we know the Rockets almost signed Brook. You can argue Embiid has more injury concerns, but Lopez is older and only played in 13 games the season before last, so he also has some issues in that regard. I'm sure it would depend on the price and what the Rockets had to give up... for both the front office as well as Udoka. I don't much like the idea of giving up Sengun just when he's potentially about to break out. But you can't deny literal MVP is about the best return you could possibly get if you were trading him. Like I said, I have mixed feelings about it. It would clearly be a "win a championship in the next 3-4 years" kind of trade, and the success or failure of such a trade would entirely hinge on winning a ring during that time frame. I generally prefer to build around homegrown young players anyway. But I don't think it would be the dumbest move in the history of the franchise. (That honor would probably go to paying Dillon Brooks $90M over four years.)
