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PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – OCTOBER 19: Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers speaks to media at the Seventy Sixers Practice Facility on October 19, 2021 in Camden, New Jersey. (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
Former MVP Joel Embiid could be one of the names available in the planned 2028 expansion draft for two new teams entering the league. The NBA is expected to bring basketball back to Seattle and debut a new team in Las Vegas to increase the overall league to 32 teams. An expansion draft will see franchises protecting a certain number of players and everyone else will be available to select from.
Sporting News forecasted that Embiid would not be protected from the Philadelphia 76ers due to his contract:
“Embiid will be in a similar situation as (Anthony) Davis. He’ll be making $67.0 million on the last year of his current contract. He’s been pretty good this season when healthy, but he barely plays right now at the age of 32.
By the time he’s 34, his health will have declined even more, and Philadelphia may be eager to get off one of the most overpaid players in the league. Embiid is a big name for Las Vegas that they can put on their marquee. He’ll make them competitive in the 40 games that he manages to suit up for.”
Philadelphia would likely protect younger players and talents on team-friendly deals in an expansion draft. Embiid making $67 million means they’d get free cap space if one of the new teams selects him to make an instant mark.
Why New Teams Would Select Embiid
Expansion drafts usually see the best talent protected, but it will be different in the NBA due to the cap restrictions and importance of financial flexibility. The recent WNBA expansion draft saw teams flat out protecting their best five players since everyone is paid within the same tier.
NBA protections will be far more surprising since each team will look at it through picking their best contracts. Embiid will only have one year left on his contract, and his star power could help a new franchise develop their fan base.
Las Vegas or Seattle would only have to take the risk for one season and hope to get the best version of an older Embiid. It is hard to see him falling under a 20 point per game average, even with the injuries and aging process. Embiid could help a franchise find relevance and convince future free agents to give them a chance.
Other Players Who Could Join Embiid
Sporting News forecasted Anthony Davis as the top overall pick in the 2028 expansion draft and the only name above Embiid. Other stars like Jimmy Butler, Kyrie Irving, Zach LaVine, and Andrew Wiggins stand out as other interesting names who could be involved.
All these names are strong talents, but they are aging stars of varying levels each getting paid a lot of money. Every franchise involved here could realistically opt to let them enter the draft and dare another team to pay off their contracts.
A lot can change in two years, so we won’t know the true names in the draft until the 2028 offseason. Las Vegas and Seattle will have some legendary names to choose from when forecasting ages and looking at overpriced contracts.
Joey Haverford Joey Haverford is a seasoned sports content writer with over 12 years of experience. He has covered the NBA, WNBA, MLB, NFL, and professional wrestling in the sports industry. More about Joey Haverford
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