76ers trade for six-time All-Star & prized vet amid Embiid injury in wild proposal

The Philadelphia 76ers go all-in this season and trade for a former All-Star and a prized veteran despite Joel Embiid’s injury in this mock deal.

Joel Embiid’s injury has cast a massive shadow over the Philadelphia 76ers moving forward. While the team should still have enough to get by and make the playoffs with their current deck, without the reigning MVP, you’d be hard-pressed to find a non-Philadelphian who will still willingly bet on them to win the championship this season.

Still, the 76ers have their work cut out for them with the trade deadline just a few days away. Their strategy could very well take on an entirely new vestige in the aftermath of Embiid’s injury, but the latest report points to the team potentially being able to still have him in some capacity this season, giving the front office something to hold onto as the team faces the tall task of holding down the fort for the meantime without their best player.

The 76ers are reported to still be aggressive buyers before the trade deadline

On the interim, it seems like Philadelphia is hellbent on salvaging its season. Despite uncertainty regarding Embiid’s possible return this season, the talk around town is that the 76ers’ strategy in the trade market hasn’t changed, and that the team’s brass is still on the lookout for upgrades on the margins.

Even if Embiid’s situation hardens into a grisly one, the 76ers have won too much to try and punt this season. Ultimately, with All-Star guard Tyrese Maxey poised to be their go-to guy for the time being, it’s not impossible to see a scenario where the team goes all-in for a playoff run asa long as their financial flexibility isn’t compromised.

With that considered, let’s shift our focus on two obtainable players whom the 76ers can trade for before the deadline in this wild proposal.

76ers trade for six-time All-Star and prized veteran in this wild proposal

Despite being in the play-in tournament picture, the Bulls have a losing record and are nevertheless projected to be one of the biggest buyers in the trade market. Zach LaVine’s season-ending surgery has given them one less head to flip for assets, but they still have a slew of players they can liquidate to kickstart a much-needed rebuild. At this point, it’s inevitable.

DeRozan and Caruso are perhaps their two best trade chips at the moment. The former hasn’t been exactly All-Star caliber this season, but he’s a tremendous floor-raiser who’s versatile enough to fill in any pecking order offensively. Meanwhile, the latter could be even considered as a more attractive acquisition as a low-cost All-NBA defender who isn’t a rental or a high-maintenance cog.

Would this trade hypothetically benefit the 76ers both in the short and long run? Let’s have a look at the pros and cons of this proposal.

Why the 76ers should go all-in for DeRozan and Caruso

The prospect of Joel Embiid returning this season is not a vain hope, at least not yet. The recent report points to him and his camp still contemplating the possibility of resting and doing rehab as opposed to going under the knife which would potentially sideline him for quite a while, which is perhaps a tad generous given the circumstances.

DeRozan has regressed a bit from his first two seasons donning Bulls colorways, but he remains a lethal scorer with more than sufficient all-around capacity. His three-point shot has become an actual weapon, his mid-range game is still uncannily effective, he’s become a steady and reliable playmaker in the half-court, and his defense is fine when locked in. Even for a rental, he’d give Philly a hell of a scorer on the secondary who can slide into a bigger or lesser role when needed. His playoff experience also cannot be understated.

Caruso, on the other hand, would instantly bolster a 76ers team expected to drop off defensively sans their defensive anchor in Embiid. He’s not a rim protector by any stretch, but his presence on the floor is encompassing — he is a pest on the passing lanes, a hellish one-on-one defender, a malleable stopper who can guard multiple positions, and someone who can lead the defense which is unique for a player of his stature. Unlike DeRozan, he isn’t a rental, and has a bargain deal that wouldn’t be a pain to absorb at all.

Then reality kicks in. The 76ers haven’t formally ruled out Embiid still returning this season, but they probably would and should not rush him at all. Should he need all the time in the world to recuperate, so be it. He’s the kind of player whom you should trust the process for.

Flipping two first-round picks for players who wouldn’t give the 76ers much competitive advantage over the powerhouses in the NBA sans Embiid is simply unwise, a malpractice even. After all, Philly has a clear runway for a big upgrade during the offseason anyway, and accelerating that preserved timeline would be counterituitive after all the prep work they did to set them up for an expensive summer.

Embiid’s injury should honestly prompt Philadelphia to be more conservative and patient. After all, should Embiid return, the 76ers would still have enough to make noise in the playoffs with this roster no matter their seeding. And should they desire upgrades, they should be free to do so — just not at the expense of valuable draft picks they can leverage to pursue star players later on.