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Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-USA TODAY Sports
Trade #1: Destroying a division rival for fun
On paper, the odds of Joel Embiid asking out may not seem too high. However, with James Harden asking out and the team not having much cap flexibility, he could force Daryl Morey’s hand by requesting a trade. If this becomes the case, it seems like the Knicks could be a top destination for the league MVP.
76ers Get
RJ Barrett
Quentin Grimes
Miles McBride, Mitchell Robinson
four first round picks + pick swap
This is a hefty price, but we’re talking about a league MVP and one of the five best players in the entire NBA. While the Knicks are losing some key players, it’s not as if the team will be gutted. They will still have players like Immanuel Quickley, Josh Hart, and Isaiah Hartenstein. This trade also allows the Knicks to keep Julius Randle for now, allowing them to potentially move on from him to regain some of their lost depth.
As for the picks, four plus a pick swap is definitely a lot, but the Knicks have plenty of picks to spare even outside of the ones they’d be trading away. This deal is a nice little win-win for all sides involved. The 76ers get a more than fair return for Embiid to help start their rebuild, and the Knicks get the superstar they desperately need.
Bringing in Embiid for this value elevates the Knicks to a championship contender and gives them tons of flexibility to pull off other moves to make the team even better.
<div class="details"> <div class="team-name">Knicks Get</div> <div class="info">Mikal Bridges</div> </div> </div> <div class="separator"></div> <div class="team b"> <div class="logo"><img src=https://dailyknicks.com/2023/08/06/3-rj-barrett-trades-new-york-knicks-can-shock-fans-with-offseason/3/"https://images2.minutemediacdn.com/image/fetch/w_75,h_75,c_fill,g_auto,f_auto/https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.fansided.com%2Flogos%2Fnba%2Fnets.png"/>
<div class="details"> <div class="team-name">Nets Get</div> <div class="info">RJ Barrett</div> <div class="info">Miles McBride</div> <div class="info">Knicks 2024 first round pick</div> <div class="info">2024 first round pick via DAL, 2025 first round pick via MIL</div> </div> </div> </div> </div>
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<p>On paper, Knicks fans may not be too happy about giving up this much for one player who has never made an All-Star game. However, the jump Bridges made once joining the Nets last season combined with the tools he showcased before then makes it clear that he is worth this much.</p>
<p>Last season, Bridges averaged 20.1 points, 4.4 rebounds, and 3.3 assists per game, shooting 46.8% from the field and 38.2% from three on 5.3 attempts. Bridges is one of the best defensive wings in the entire NBA. We love Barrett, but it’s clear who the better player is, especially for the Knicks.</p>
<p>Not only can Bridges work well in the off-ball, something Barrett lacks, but he also showed flashes of being a shot-creator once he joined the Nets. The consistency and two-way play Bridges would bring to New York, combined with the chemistry he, Brunson, and Hart have, would instantly make the Knicks a much better team.</p>
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