NBA trainer Drew Hanlen revealed that Joel Embiid would trade his lone MVP season for a healthy postseason run.
Joel Embiid has been the franchise cornerstone of the Philadelphia 76ers for the better part of the last decade.
The seven-time All-Star has accomplished nearly everything throughout the regular season, including winning the MVP award. However, the star center has struggled to stay healthy in the postseason, dealing with nagging injuries throughout the years that have kept him off the court.
While appearing on the Yahoo Sports Kevin O'Connor Show, Embiid's trainer Drew Hanlen revealed that Embiid would give up his sole MVP season for a healthy postseason run.
"I would trade my MVP for one healthy postseason run because I think that if I'm healthy, I'm dominant enough that I would carry us to win a championship," Hanlen said Embiid told him.
There is no doubt that when Embiid is healthy, he is one of the best players in the NBA. He won the MVP award back in 2023, after a dominant season in which he averaged 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, and 1.7 blocks. He led the 76ers to a 54-28 record.
But since then, his availability has been a major issue throughout his career.
Through 31 games played during the 2025-26 NBA season, the former MVP has averaged 26.6 points, 7.5 rebounds, and 3.9 assists on 49.4% shooting from the field. However, he has missed a significant number of games.
Embiid only suited up for 19 games in the 2024-25 season due to ongoing knee injuries.
The 76ers have a strong chance to compete for a championship this season. Tyrese Maxey continues to play at an elite level, and Embiid, of course, has shown he has a lot left in the tank. The 76ers have major contributors on the roster who could come up big during the regular season and could look to contribute during a deep postseason run, like Paul George and V.J. Edgecombe.
The team's depth, defense, and late-game scenarios will also play as X-factors for the 76ers if they want to separate themselves as title contenders in the Eastern Conference.
But ultimately their championship aspirations, of course, hinge on Embiid's health come April and May.
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Elijah Hamilton is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable.