The trade machine continues to turn as we all sit in quarantine and we all try and pass the time. It’s fun to entertain these hypothetical trade options that involve the Philadelphia 76ers especially since they are an easy target with everybody focused on breaking up the Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons duo.
This latest trade suggestions, coming from good ole Bleacher Report, has the Sixers moving Embiid to the New Orleans Pelicans for newly named All-Star Brandon Ingram in a sign-and-trade deal. Their intention is to team Embiid up with Zion Williamson in New Orleans while the Sixers get an up and coming star who is going to get better.
B/R on the Sixers side of things:
New Orleans and Philly could agree to max Ingram out on a five-year deal worth around $170 million, flipping him straight up for Embiid.
Such a deal would give the Sixers the first two picks of the 2016 draft, pairing Ingram’s 24.3 points per game on 38.7 percent shooting from three with Simmons’ elite playmaking and defensive ability. Filling in the rest of the starting five with Tobias Harris, Al Horford and Josh Richardson would make for a better shooting unit with everyone playing their natural positions.
Ingram is a fine player and he was having a terrific season in New Orleans before the league suspension, but again, it’s hard to really agree to any trade involving Embiid. The Sixers do not have an Embiid-Simmons problem, they have a supporting cast problem that is detrimental to their two stars.
If they were to make any trade, it should involve Josh Richardson or Al Horford in en effort to upgrade the supporting cast. There is no reason for them to even think about moving Embiid or Simmons until they actually see what they can do with the right pieces surrounding them. [lawrence-related id=29936,29928,29912]