Shipping Joel Embiid to Milwaukee for veteran depth ignores the draft capital necessary for a true rebuild, potentially trapping the Philadelphia 76ers in a cycle of mediocrity.
The Philadelphia 76ers may eventually have to have a serious Joel Embiid conversation.
His injuries, age, contract, and the team’s repeated playoff failures make it fair to ask whether the franchise should reset around Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. But there is a major difference between exploring Embiid’s trade value and moving him just to move him.
That is why the package floated by 97.5 The Fanatic’s Sam Oshtry is hard to justify for Philadelphia. The deal would send Embiid to the Milwaukee Bucks, while the Sixers would receive Myles Turner, Kyle Kuzma, and Bobby Portis.
For Milwaukee, the appeal is obvious. If Embiid is healthy, pairing him with Giannis Antetokounmpo would give the Bucks one of the most physically dominant frontcourts in the NBA, a duo that is capable of scoring from all three levels and controlling the paint.
For Philadelphia, though, this deal is awful.
The biggest problem is the lack of draft capital. If the Sixers trade Embiid, even with his injury risk and massive contract, they cannot treat him like a pure salary dump. Embiid is owed major money, including a $55.2 million cap hit in 2025-26, but he is still a former MVP and one of the league’s most dominant players when healthy. Moving him without picks attached would be a poor way to begin a new era.
Turner, Kuzma, and Portis are useful NBA players, but they do not change Philadelphia’s future. Turner would give the Sixers a defensive center replacement and is one of the few true stretch bigs in the league. Portis brings solid scoring and shooting in the frontcourt. Kuzma can score and handle some forward creation. But that is a collection of solid veterans, nothing more.
If Philadelphia is trading Embiid, the goal should be to build around Maxey and Edgecombe with younger talent, picks, and flexibility. This package does not accomplish that. It gives the Sixers more depth, but not enough upside. Treading water is the worst thing to do in the NBA, and that’s the only thing this trade would accomplish.
The Bucks would be taking a risk, too. Giannis has one guaranteed year remaining before a player option for 2027-28, and Milwaukee’s future is already clouded by trade speculation.
Taking on Embiid’s contract while Giannis’ long-term commitment is uncertain could blow up quickly. If Giannis eventually wants out, Milwaukee could be left with an expensive, injury-prone big man and no clear path forward.
That is why this trade feels flawed for both sides, even if Milwaukee would be getting the best player. The Bucks would be chasing one last massive swing. The Sixers would be giving away their franchise centerpiece without enough future value coming back.
If Philadelphia moves Embiid, it has to be the start of a real reset, something that secures their next era. This trade does not do that.
Join The 76ersRoundtable
Head over to the 76ersRoundtable page and hit the "Join" button under the featured story... it's completely FREE! You'll have the opportunity to engage with other 76ers fans who live and breathe the team, share your thoughts on the organization, and more. If you're asked to sign up or download the Roundtable app... that's free too.
Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at dixonwesley286@gmail.com.