Joel Embiid's Trade Value Explained by Insider amid Contract, Injuries After 76ers' Loss Knicks
Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid's remaining contract and injury history haven't helped boost his trade value, according to Tony Jones of The Athletic.
"Because of the injuries and his contract, it's unlikely Philadelphia can trade him for anything of value," Jones reported Monday. "But because he's still an elite-level offensive player (his defense definitely took a dip this season), he's still worth more to Philadelphia than anything that would come back in a trade."
ESPN's Brian Windhorst also weighed in on Embiid's future on Monday's episode of Get Up: "He has three years at $192M left on his contract, which is a new extension that will begin next season. And that is why I can promise him he will definitely be back. He is not going anywhere."
The 76ers are entering the offseason after getting swept by the New York Knicks in the second round of the playoffs on Sunday.
Embiid, who signed a three-year extension worth $192.9 million in Sept. 2024, is under contract for two more seasons before holding a $67.3 million player option for his 2028-29 campaign.
If he chooses to pick up the option, he would have the largest cap hit of any player currently signed through the 2028-29 season (via Spotrac).
Injuries have also continued to impact Embiid's availability, as he's failed to appear in at least 40 games during three consecutive seasons.
This year, the former MVP navigated through knee issues before missing time due to an emergency appendectomy that he underwent on April 9.
While it was admirable that Embiid was able to return for Game 4 of Philadelphia's first-round playoff matchup with the Boston Celtics and help his squad come back from a 3-1 series deficit, the team ultimately fell short of the Eastern Conference Finals once again.
The 76ers could explore trades involving him and look to build around their promising backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe instead, but it may be difficult to find a suitor that would be willing to give up significant assets for Embiid.
