Whenever a star player in the NBA could be moving to a new destination, the New York Knicks always seem to be part of the conversation. Former NBA player Richard Jefferson seems to think that a big move could be on the horizon for New York.
"I think Joel Embiid and another superstar will end up in New York," Jefferson, an NBA-veteran-turned-ESPN analyst said on the Road Trippin' Show. "No one wanted to come be the savior of the New York Knicks. So now that they have talent, they built within, they've got core pieces, they've got an All-Star (caliber) point guard in (Jalen) Brunson, now guys are going to want to play there.
There have been rumors swirling about Embiid's happiness with the Philadelphia 76ers for years, but now those rumors are getting louder with star James Harden bringing a lot of unwanted drama to Philadelphia. Harden picked up his player option while anticipating a trade, but president of basketball operations Daryl Morey doesn't want to deal him unless the right deal is there. The situation has culminated in Harden calling Morey a "liar" during a basketball camp in China.
Jefferson spoke about the allure of pairing Brunson with a superstar.
"Brunson's on a friendly contract," Jefferson said. "Brunson's an All-NBA player that's getting paid like a low-level All-Star."
Set to enter his second season with the Knicks, Brunson is currently signed to a four-year, $104 million contract with New York. In the first, he averaged 24 points per game, 6.2 assists, and 3.5 a game while leading the team to the playoffs, where they earned their first series victory since 2013.
It would be a massive move to get Embiid from the 76ers. He is coming off of three-straight top-two finishes in the MVP race, winning the award last season. He averaged 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, and 4.2 assists on 65.5 percent true shooting but Philadelphia once again failed to reach the conference final round.
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