Don’t expect the Golden State Warriors to surrender immediately after Jimmy Butler’s torn ACL diagnosis.
At the very least, the Warriors will gauge the trade market to see if there’s a potential deal that could keep them in the mix in the Western Conference. CBS Sports’ Sam Quinn has a massive three-team trade idea that would give the franchise a standout center who captured the 2023 MVP award.
Specifically, Quinn’s trade concept would send Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid to the Warriors for a five-time All-Star who spent the 2018-19 season with Philadelphia.
“We're officially in ‘hear me out’ territory here,” Quinn wrote on Wednesday. “Very few teams should be open to taking the Embiid risk, but based on where the Warriors are, they're relatively high on that list if anyone truly qualifies.”
“Yes, there is an overwhelming likelihood that injuries prevent him from playing at an MVP level ever again. But the Warriors are so far away that they genuinely need MVP-caliber upside out of the Butler salary slot.”
“After all, they weren't true contenders even with Butler. Embiid has a higher ceiling than any other player in this mix. But in the event that he doesn't reach it, that injuries do indeed ruin the rest of his career, well, that's not the worst thing for Golden State either.”
In Quinn’s proposed trade, the Warriors would receive Embiid and Quentin Grimes; the 76ers, Butler, Nikola Vucevic, and Gary Payton II; and the Chicago Bulls, Buddy Hield, Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond, and four second-round picks.
Embiid is no longer the face of the 76ers’ franchise. The Kansas product’s persistent injury concerns have forced him to take a basket to Tyrese Maxey in Philadelphia.
Embiid is still a 20+ points-per-game scorer who routinely creates matchup problems for opponents with his offensive versatility. However, the seven-time All-Star’s inability to stay healthy makes it unlikely for fans to witness him return to his original form. That said, Embiid is too talented a player for the declining Warriors to ignore this trade season.
The Dubs’ frontcourt unit is relatively thin, and although Embiid's floor spacing hasn’t been as effective the past two seasons (he’s shooting 26.1% from three this season after connecting on 29.9% of his triples last season), his multi-dimensional skill set would give the seven-time NBA champions a much-needed boost.
Embiid is an asset that could soon land on Golden State’s radar.
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