The NBA’s next mega-trade candidate, plus the Shohei Ohtani debate

In the Superstar Trade Era of the NBA, assets are everything. How many valuable role players do you have? What about young ones? Expiring contracts? Draft picks? It used to be cap space, but now we spend our offseasons looking at who could actually acquire the next superstar on the market.

The current prize: Damian Lillard, although he only wants to play for one other team, Miami. So who’s next? Karl-Anthony Towns is primed for a move, but that’s not moving many needles right now. James Harden technically qualifies, I guess, but no one seems to want him that badly. There is one name dominating whispers, though: Joel Embiid.

Wait, what? The reigning MVP has not requested a trade, to be clear. But he is 29 years old, in his prime and with a team largely in disarray. Time runs short for Embiid, who has made it abundantly clear this offseason that he wants to win — in Philly or “anywhere else.”

Is this real, or just leverage? It feels real to me. I don’t know what other leverage Embiid can obtain. Sam Amick wrote a smart column on the whole situation yesterday. In it, he reiterates the report that Harden has no intention of sticking around. Sixers GM Daryl Morey is already as aggressive as they come. What other move can he make? Lillard has no interest in Philadelphia, although, ahem, the Sixers absolutely have the assets to acquire him.

So who’s waiting to snag Embiid? The Knicks are everyone’s top pick. They have the draft capital and young players to make the move. If the Heat miss out on Lillard, they’re prime candidates, too. Every team — maybe outside of Denver — with a shot to acquire Embiid will try.

Is this a thing happening tomorrow? No. But if Harden gets his wish and the Sixers start next season poorly? It becomes real, quickly. Zach Harper has a deeper analysis in today’s Bounce, which will be out later this morning.