3 emergency tank trades to give 76ers best draft odds after Joel Embiid setback

The Philadelphia 76ers are 15-26 with six straight losses under their belt. Joel Embiid has missed each of those contests. At first, he was rehabbing a foot sprain. Now, he's dealing with another setback in his swolen left knee, which has been a bugaboo for Embiid since opening day.

It's unclear when the Sixers' MVP big man will be back in the rotation for an extended period of time, which puts their season in an uncomfortable grey zone. On one hand, it's tough to justify wasting a year of Embiid's prime (or whatever this is), especially with Paul George and Tyrese Maxey also on the roster. Philadelphia's entire 2023-24 strategy was built around putting this team together in this moment. To punt again... it's not an appealing proposition.

And yet, the Sixers also can't stomach mediocrity. There's no point is laboring for a fruitless Play-In bid. There's no point in hanging around the mid-to-late lottery if there's time to bottom out and get a high draft pick.

Philadelphia's decision — to tank or not to tank — is made all the more challenging by the current trade protections on their first-round pick, which belongs to OKC if it lands anywhere in the 7-30 range. Essentially, the Sixers need a top-six pick to get a pick at all. So, unless Philadelphia earnestly tanks and gets lucky with the pingpong balls, there will be no reward waiting at the end of this god-awful season.

Here are a few teardown trades Philadelphia can make if punting is, indeed, what Daryl Morey decides to do.

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3. Sixers can trade Kelly Oubre, Kyle Lowry to Nuggets

Of Philadelphia's role players, few are more valuable than Kelly Oubre on his affordable two-year, $16.4 million contract, which includes a player option for next season. He needs the right infrastructure to succeed — Oubre has looked much better next to Embiid and George than without them — but the Denver Nuggets can provide just that. Nikola Jokic makes everyone better.

The Nuggets' front office has neglected the supporting cast around Jokic for too long. There's plenty to like about the starting five, especially with Christian Braun's breakout, but Denver's second unit is lame in comparison to other top-shelf West contenders. Oubre won't solve all of the Nuggets' issues, but his athletic play-finishing should prove useful in Jokic's orbit.

Oubre can get tunnel vision at times, so it's important to limit his on-ball responsbilities. That said, when he's the fourth or fifth option in a loaded lineup, focused on spot 3s, aggressive straight-line drives, or backdoor cuts, Oubre is always impactful. He's a legitimately impressive athlete on the wing.

Kyle Lowry doesn't have much time left in the NBA, so he deserves to go out on a contender. As for Philadelphia, a Dario Saric reunion ought to please Embiid and the fanbase. DaRon Holmes, Denver's 2024 first-round pick, is currently rehabbing from a torn Achilles. He's an intriguing long-term bet as the 76ers' next backup center.

2. Sixers can trade Andre Drummond to Lakers

Andre Drummond reunited with the 76ers on a two-year, $10 million contract, which also includes a player option for next season. Like last time, there's a decent chance Drummond's Sixers tenure is cut short by a trade. Adem Bona and Guerschon Yabusele can hold down the fort well enough, especially if Embiid ever gets healthy. Plus, it's not hard to field a replacement-level backup center elsewhere.

The Los Angeles Lakers have a well-documented desire to get bigger. JJ Redick needs more physicality and dependability behind Anthony Davis. While Drummond has his shortcomings, it's hard to deny the value of a historically great rebounder in a bench role. He isn't as efficient as you'd like for a non-shooting big, and Drummond's decision-making can get a little erratic at times, but he's a singular brute-force athlete and a competent rim protector, if not much else.

Drummond upgrades the backup center minutes in LA quite substantially. In return, the Sixers get Christian Wood (who is progressing toward a return from injury) and Cam Reddish, along with a second-round pick for their troubles. Neither Wood nor Reddish project as much long term, but at least Reddish offers a semi-intriguing skill set on the wing. He'd be worth a look. At worst, Reddish is a helpful tank engine.

1. Sixers can trade Guerschon Yabusele to Thunder

Guerschon Yabusele has been Philadelphia's most dependable role player and a true revelation during an otherwise dour and despairing campaign. Trading him would sting, but it only makes sense. The Sixers aren't contending this year (sorry) and Yabu is signed to a veteran minimum contract. When he gets a raise next offseason, the Sixers won't be able to afford it.

Rather than clinging to a fruitless half-season more of Yabusele, the Sixers should try to squeeze value out of one of the NBA's best contracts. Why not dial up the Oklahoma City Thunder, who could use a frontcourt piece with Yabu's skill set. He'd bring strength and physicality to a skinny frontcourt, all while supplying enough spot-up shooting and connective passing to appease Mark Daigneault.

In return, the Sixers can get their own first-round pick back — protections removed. That means Philadelphia can land outside the top six and still benefit from a deep draft class. Yabusele might not be worth a projected lottery pick in a vacuum, but if Philly tanks, there's a decent chance the pick does land in the top six. That could incentive OKC to take Yabusele's guaranteed contributions, rather than hoping Philadelphia loses the pingpong game.

This feels like a win-win. Yabusele would be truly great for OKC, and the Sixers remove the stress of a delicate lottery setup.