Is it possible the Cleveland Cavaliers and Philadelphia 76ers make a blockbuster trade in the midst of the LeBron James sweepstakes?
Could two teams seriously in the hunt for free agent LeBron James come to an agreement on a blockbuster trade?
The Philadelphia 76ers and Cleveland Cavaliers are widely viewed as finalists in the sweepstakes for the 22-time All-Star, as he continues to weigh his options. But it's possible a completely separate transaction takes place between these organizations either before or after James signs.
The proposed deal would be as follows:
76ers receive: Jarrett Allen, Max Strus, Tyrese Proctor
Cavaliers receive: Joel Embiid, 2030 first-round pick, two second-round picks
What this trade does for the 76ers is raise their floor while ridding the roster of Embiid's three-year, $187 million contract extension.
Allen is much more durable than Embiid, as the one-time All-Star has never appeared in less than 55 games in a season in his nine years in the NBA. This includes playing all 82 games in the 2024-2025 campaign. He is nowhere near as talented offensively as Embiid is but still averaged 15.4 points and 8.5 rebounds on 63.8% shooting last season.
The financial aspect of this trade is also a major win for the Sixers. Allen is beginning a three-year, $90 million contract; Strus is entering the final season of a four-year, $62 million deal; and Proctor is making next to nothing in the grand scheme of things.
So, for Philadelphia the motivation to accept is clear: Allen and Strus raise the floor while the salaries are much easier to manage.
Let's acknowledge the obvious, which is that this is an incredibly risky move by the Cavaliers, but one that could pay off.
Cleveland just signed franchise cornerstone Donovan Mitchell to a lucrative four-year, $273 million contract that starts in the 2027-2028 season. So, for two seasons the hefty deals of Embiid and Mitchell would overlap.
But all it takes is one healthy postseason run from Embiid to make this trade worthwhile.
Embiid, when at full strength, is the most offensively dominant big man in the NBA. So, pairing that level of play alongside Mitchell, Evan Mobley, likely James Harden, and potentially LeBron James is a recipe for success.
The reality is this trade could result in a championship for either party, which is what makes it closer to realistic than some might expect.
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