Is Joel Embiid Guilty of Trade Tampering? 76ers Star Gives Adam Silver Reason to Jeopardise Paul George Move

Jimmy Butler didn’t stay long. James Harden was reportedly ‘betrayed’ by Daryl Morey and Ben Simmons was egregious after his breakdown against the Atlanta Hawks. This has been the star luck Joel Embiid has shared with his peers. The lack of a third commander stared at the Sixers as they bounced out against the New York Knicks. It established an urgent need to make upgrades, move pieces around, and get the ‘MVP’ the help he needs to crash over the horizon. The coming offseason provides many candidates, some already linked with the Sixers. Even then, Embiid thought it necessary to take an additional pitch to one of the Sixers’ rumored targets – Paul George.

His words were innocent. Hopefully this off-season, we find a way to get better and you know add some pieces”. His tone was fairly ordinary for a team that had underperformed. However, his eyes did all the talking. The 30-year-old gave a suspicious side-eye to George when they showed up on NBA Countdown as analysts. The zealous two-way slasher is a man who could possibly drop his feet in the free agency market.

George has a player option with the Los Angeles Clippers for next season. Like most respected stars, PG13 wishes to renegotiate and sign a longer, more expensive contract. Steve Ballmer though seems reluctant to do so. Reports claim the franchise isn’t swooned in particular by the idea of offering a 34-year-old George a larger extension than Kawhi Leonard. The Sixers can offer him his desired $212 million over four years.

So let’s get to the bottom of this. Should Joel Embiid and the Sixers be seen guilty of tampering?

Joel Embiid could be in more trouble than he thinks

When the NBA negotiated its new CBA, there was heightened vigilance given to the tampering rules. According to the NBA, the signs were increased to $10 million if a team is found to be using unfair means and disobeying the league’s policies. They specifically state no NBA player or team can approach a player under contract until the end of the NBA Finals. That was strike one for Embiid.

But can a playful look be enough to justify Joel Embiid’s allying intentions? During the 2019-20 season, Draymond Green as on Inside the NBA talking highly about an on-the-rise Devin Booker. “Get my man out of Phoenix. It’s not good for him, it’s not good for his career. I need my man to go somewhere he can play great basketball all the time, and win” he told the infamous TNT crew(who could be out of jobs). When confronted with his tampering motives, Green though did plead guilty when he said “maybe”.

The NBA fined the Golden State Warriors forward $50,000. If judging purely from his words, there isn’t enough that suggests the defensive forward was calling to recruit Booker. However, along with this partial admitting and the obvious admiration of D-Book, the fine seemed justified. Maybe Embiid didn’t cross so far across the line.

But that’s the thing with repeated offenders, the league doesn’t need ample proof, just enough. The Philadelphia 76ers and Daryl Morey have been the centerpiece of tampering violations. In 2022, when Harden forego money on his contract, the Sixers were able to sign Danuel House Jr. and PJ Tucker. The events seemed too good to be true. Can such coincidences genuinely occur was the question? Silver had to investigate the matter.

Harden’s contract sacrifice wasn’t unethical. However, Morey had approached both Tucker and House Jr. way before the window to do the same opened. The Sixers’ 2023 and 202 second round picks were revoked by the NBA on basis of their investigations. This history of doing wrong doesn’t bode well for Joel Embiid.

Considering everything, there is a high chance the perennial MVP contender is subjected to some punishment from Adam Silver. Maybe it’s a fine nearly identical to Harden’s. Somewhere around $50,000. If the league wants to send a harsher, warning statement, they might fine the Sixers a high fine and suspend Embiid for a few games. But that’s the worst-case scenario.

If after all that the Sixers are somehow able to lure Paul George, they will look like a different unit. Heading into 35, George isn’t as explosive and abrasive as he once was. That doesn’t mean he is diminished. He still averaged 22.6 points and shot 41% from three. George can slot into the third option behind Embiid and Maxey. George can operate well without a ball, avoiding issues of sharing the ball with the two cemented stars in Philly. His fluent maneuvers and counters still trouble defenses. In the postseason, George’s wit and dominance in isolation could solve the Sixers’ crumbling nature too.

If it comes for such a cheap price, why would Embiid accept the fine?

For more exciting and unique content as such, watch our interview with Shaq’s former agent Leonard Armato in the video below.

Get my man out of Phoenix. It’s not good for him, it’s not good for his career. I need my man to go somewhere he can play great basketball all the time, and win