Sixers Rumors: Could Joel Embiid Ask Out? One Rival "Monitoring" The Situation

Things are changing in Philadelphia. The 76ers introduced a new head coach today, Nick Nurse, and by all indications, James Harden will be taking his beard back to Houston to rejoin his old team. 

Does any of this mean that 6-time All-Star Joel Embiid, tired of the six-year straight run of playoff failures, could ask out? According to ESPN's NBA Insider Tim MacMahon, the New York Knicks are keeping an eagle eye on the situation.

The New York Knicks are monitoring Joel Embiid’s situation in Philadelphia, per @espn_macmahon

“They’ve looked at that situation in Philly and there's been a hope in New York that stuff in Philly will go haywire to the point where Embiid will ask out.” 👀

(Via Hoop Collective) pic.twitter.com/yjUF1msujA

— NBACentral (@TheNBACentral) June 1, 2023

“They're hoping for 'The Process.' They’ve looked at that situation in Philly and there's been a hope in New York that stuff in Philly will go haywire to the point where Embiid will ask out," said MacMahon on the Hoop Collective podcast. "I don't know the percentage odds on that, but I would say they are slim. But that's been the hope."

Embiid, to be clear, is signed long-term, for three more seasons plus another at a player option, with an AAV above $50M over that span. But if push came to shove at some point, he wouldn't be the first superstar with a long-term contract to ask for a trade (see: Durant, Kevin, and others). 

The Sixers could have an interesting summer with the Harden situation alone, any potential questions about Embiid would make for quite the circus. 

The Knicks are waiting patiently in the shadows (ok, maybe not that patiently).

Photo: Winslow Townson-USA TODAY Sports