According to renowned NBA reporter Bill Simmons, the 76ers' management is exploring Joel Embiid's future, including a potential trade with the Lakers.

Embiid's health concerns are casting a shadow over his future, and the 76ers are considering transferring Embiid's "potential risk" to the Lakers. Several executives believe the Lakers could package a trade that matches Embiid's $59.5 million salary next season without involving Austin Reaves or players on expiring contracts. Potential players include Knecht, Hachimura, Gabe Vincent, and Kleber.

"The Lakers packaged these expiring contracts and two first-round picks to help the 76ers completely get rid of Embiid's problem. This is general manager Morey's 'get out of the way' card, once and for all," Simmons said bluntly. "It was Morey who gave Embiid an early extension, and now he needs to personally resolve this cap burden."

After signing Paul George to a four-year, maximum contract, the 76ers failed to make the playoffs due to numerous injuries. Embiid's knee injury recovery for the 2025-26 season remains in doubt. Using the third pick to select promising rookie Edgecum and bringing back last season's Rookie of the Year Jared McCown Jr., the team is worth looking forward to when the roster is healthy. In a sense, the 76ers have entered a rebuilding process, and resolving the contracts of Embiid and Paul George has become the front office's most important task.

Although Embiid has been plagued by injuries, trading the MVP without receiving a star player in return would be unwise. After all, Embiid has proven himself and remains a dominant force when healthy. The 76ers traded Embiid, hoping to get as many quality players and draft picks as possible. However, Embiid's remaining salary is close to $200 million, and his season-long knee injury poses a significant risk, making it difficult for the 76ers to find a team willing to take the risk.

For the 76ers, preparing for the worst and hoping for the best is a rational approach. "The 76ers are open to trade discussions with the Lakers," said Bill Simmons. "The Lakers' multiple offseason moves have clearly shown they no longer consider LeBron James as the core of their team. However, the 76ers are not particularly interested in James' contract, and renewing it would provide them with rebuilding assets."

The Lakers' intention to shift their focus around Luka Dončić and build a championship-winning roster for the 2026-27 season is becoming increasingly clear. Of course, if Embiid were available, Lakers management would have moved up their plans to this point. The Lakers are not in a rush to trade James immediately, and would even welcome him retiring in Los Angeles next season. Furthermore, James holds the trade veto power, which could block any deal. A lineup featuring Dončić, Embiid, James, and Reeves is indeed highly attractive to the Lakers.

"The 76ers and Lakers have had some discussions, though we're still far from a deal," Bill Simmons revealed. "The Lakers have the assets the 76ers want, including first-round picks in 2029 and 2030." In a trade, the Lakers could package Vanderbilt, Rui Hachimura, Vincent, and Kleber to match Embiid's $59.5 million salary next season.

When healthy, Embiid remains an MVP-caliber star and the Lakers' best center option to counter Jokic. In the 2022-23 season, Embiid averaged 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds, 4.2 assists, 1.7 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. Although he has played in only 58 games over the past two seasons, if his health remains stable, the Lakers will have the opportunity to build a championship-contending core around the Dončić-Embiid duo for the next four to five years.

"More importantly, the Embiid trade will not affect the Lakers' plans to acquire another superstar in 2027," said Bill Simmons. The Lakers-76ers deal not only satisfies Dončić and James' desire to win a championship next season, but also allows for the smooth execution of their existing team-building plan. It's a win-win solution, balancing both the present and the future.

Bill Simmons revealed that trade talks between the 76ers and the Lakers are still in the preliminary inquiry phase. There are still some uncertainties for both teams before the start of the season, and the trade market is still full of uncertainties that will impact trade negotiations.

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