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Joel Embiid to the Detroit Pistons: Let’s make a deal

By Stuart London

PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 10: Andre Drummond #0 of the Detroit Pistons and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers look on at the Wells Fargo Center on December 10, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - DECEMBER 10: Andre Drummond #0 of the Detroit Pistons and Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers look on at the Wells Fargo Center on December 10, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts in front of Luke Kennard #5 of the Detroit Pistons (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
Joel Embiid #21 of the Philadelphia 76ers reacts in front of Luke Kennard #5 of the Detroit Pistons (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /

What would a trade for Embiid look like?

Using salary figures from Spotrac.com, Embiid is owed $29,542,000 for the 2020-21 season , part of a total of $93 million over the next three years.

Under NBA rules, any trade must be within 125-percent of the total salaries of the players being traded, plus or minus $100,000.

There are basically two ways for the Pistons to trade for Embiid: An easy way and hard way.

The Easy Way

The Pistons have one massive contract with Blake Griffin they can use to deal for Embiid. He has two-years left on the max contract he signed back with the Los Angeles Clippers. With a salary of $36,595,996 for the 2020-21 season (we realize the season might not start until 2021 but for clarity purposes, we will go with 2020-21).

Griffin’s contract is done in two years, giving the Sixers some relief in the near future.

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Assuming Griffin waives his trade kicker, the salaries are close enough to be a straight 1-for-1 trade. However, Stefanski knows even the Sixers front office would probably not go for a 31-year-old coming off a down season for a 26-year-old All-Star entering his prime.

Some sweeteners will be in order.

To help the Sixers cap problems, Stefanski can agree to also take on the salary of veteran forward Mike Scott. For some odd reason,, the 76ers signed Scott, a career 6-points-a-game journeyman, to the Room Exception last year. He is scheduled to make $5 million next year, the fifth-highest salary on the team.

Embiid and Scott’s salaries make the trade a virtual wash in terms of money.

To seal the deal, Stefanski then throws in Detroit’s 2020 first-round draft pick, the seventh overall.

You do not want to just trade away what could be a young, promising player who might contribute for many years. However, in a draft determined by a lot of experts as not very deep, Detroit is not guaranteed of receiving a major impact player at that slot.

If the Pistons had one of the top three draft picks, it might be a different conversation but No. 7 might be better used as a bargaining chip.

Proposed trade:

Would the 76ers go for it? Remember who signed Griffin to that huge contract originally: Doc Rivers, who is now the 76ers coach.

With his outside shot, mobility and all-around skills Griffin fits better than Embiid when it comes to playing with Ben Simmons.

A Lob City reunion?

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