NBA Trade Grades: Diagnosing ESPN’s surprising Victor Wembanyama trade proposals

Grade: Spurs trade Victor Wembanyama to Philadelphia 76ers

76ers receive: Victor Wembanyama, Raptors 2024 first-round pick, Doug McDermott, Devonte’ Graham

Spurs receive: Joel Embiid

By far the most compelling of the proposed trades, the Spurs would be using Wembanyama to acquire the reigning league MVP. Despite his latest postseason flameout, Embiid basically guarantees 50+ wins in the regular season and at least a second round berth in the playoffs. He elevates his team drastically on both ends of the floor and, when healthy, he’s arguably the most unstoppable scorer in the NBA.

There is an appeal to Embiid’s brand of certainty. Persistent health issues aside, Embiid would cement the Spurs as a contender for the next half-decade. He would also get extremely valuable coaching from Gregg Popovich and the Spurs’ development team. Embiid is 29 years old, but he has gotten better every season of his career so far. He’s still growing, and the Spurs could unlock another level from an already top-5 player.

So, why are the Sixers even considering an Embiid trade? Well, that guaranteed second round berth has not turned into anything more for Philadelphia. Embiid has been hurt in pretty much every playoff appearance to date and the Sixers have lost in the second round five of the last six years (with one Al Horford-aided first round exit for good measure). With James Harden possibly on his way out the door, it’s fair to wonder if the Sixers are capable of building a true contender around Embiid — or, frankly, if Embiid is capable of sustaining a true contender.

That second question might scare off the Spurs, but there is no guarantee Wembanyama reaches Embiid’s current level. He has the potential to — he’s a better prospect than Embiid was, and he has fewer health concerns than Embiid — but it’s very hard to become a top-5 player and perennial MVP candidate. For all his flaws, Embiid is operating at a Hall of Fame level for Philadelphia.

In the end, the trade probably doesn’t take hold because of timelines. The Spurs’ roster is too young and there’s no guarantee San Antonio’s front office can acquire the pieces necessary to complement Embiid and build a winner around him. The Sixers would get the best prospect since LeBron to start their rebuild, and frankly, it’s an appealing thought. But by that same token, the entire roster has been engineered around getting the most out of Embiid’s present title window. Does acquiring Wemby without owning any of your future picks really make sense?

Sixers: C+

Spurs: C+

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