Joel Embiid on 76ers Trade Rumors, Front Office Decisions: 'I Don't Worry About That'

While excited for what the future might hold, Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid isn't paying close attention to how the front office may look to improve the roster in the offseason.

"You usually don't find yourself in a situation where you have a chance to compete for a championship with a few key players and you have an opportunity to add another max guy," he said, per ESPN's Tim Bontemps and Bobby Marks. "That's my opinion. That's probably unheard of. I don't know how many times that's happened in the NBA.

"So [the front office has] a chance to make the team better. That's their job, that's on them. I don't worry about that."

In the immediate aftermath of the James Harden trade, there was the idea the Sixers could turn around and pursue another blockbuster deal. ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski reported they felt they "could be at the front of the line" if a notable star became available ahead of the Feb. 8 trade deadline.

Sports Illustrated's Chris Mannix reported the Chicago Bulls' Zach LaVine and Toronto Raptors' OG Anunoby were mentioned outside of Philadelphia as theoretical targets.

In general, preserving $74.3 million in practical salary cap space, per Spotrac, could trump taking on a lot of long-term money now. Thanks to a 20-9 start, president of basketball operations Daryl Morey may feel even less urgency to cash in some of the chips he received from the Harden deal.

Embiid could be headed toward another MVP with how he's playing this year, and Tyrese Maxey is thriving with a bigger role in the offense. The young guard is averaging 25.9 points and 6.7 assists.

The Sixers are firmly in the mix as a credible championship challenger, and it's worth it to see what this core can achieve together before dramatically altering the roster again. Fine-tuning the squad prior to the deadline would be one thing. Attempting to acquire a player on Harden's level would risk disrupting what Philadelphia has built to this point.

Based on his comments, Embiid appears confident reinforcements will arrive at some point. Even if Philly experiences another disappointing exit in the playoffs, he'll know that Morey will act accordingly in the summer.