Dec 20, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) looks on after the game against the Charlotte Hornets at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images Kyle Ross-Imagn Images

Former NBA Exec Pushes Back on Idea of 76ers Trading Joel Embiid

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated Jun 9, 2025 9:03 PM ET

After spending last summer pushing the chips in on a star trio with three major financial investments in Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George, the Philadelphia 76ers figured out that money can’t buy good health. And without good health to a star core, the Sixers turned in one of their worst seasons since the Joel Embiid era really took off.

Times are tough in Philadelphia for the Sixers. Although they have a core that looks great on paper, their success will hinge on the availability of Joel Embiid as long as he’s on the roster. As a result, some have suggested the Sixers should cut ties with their superstar center, as the state of his health remains questionable.

While that might be a popular opinion amongst fans and analysts, former NBA executive Billy King doesn’t believe the Sixers should undersell their star. Instead, he wants to see the Sixers continue to build around the one-time MVP.

"The hardest thing is knowing that when Joel is healthy, he's one of the best players in the league. Everybody's going to say, 'Well, he's never healthy.' But the thing about it is, when you trade him, you're never getting players of equal value,” King said recently on 94WIP.

"I think they have to get more athletic around Joel. If you're watching Oklahoma City, Indiana, you watch Boston; I think you need as many 6'8" athletes as possible to be able to compete in this league because the game has changed where the power player down low is not as dominant and the game is try to create mismatches by running pick-and-rolls."

As the Sixers wrapped up the disappointing 2024-2025 campaign, the team’s current President of Basketball Operations, Daryl Morey, made it clear that adding more athleticism and youth around Embiid, George, and Maxey will be a priority this summer.

In the past, the Sixers banked on older players being at the forefront of the supporting cast based on their playoff experience. After years of coming up short with that strategy, the Sixers are making the type of adjustment that should sit right with their former general manager.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia 76ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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