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I’ll be honest: The Bam Adebayo-Joel Embiid selection exists almost entirely so I could finagle the next two duos to come. But that doesn’t make it any less intriguing.
There will be some redundancies peppered into any offense built around Adebayo and Embiid. They play different styles, but neither is a caps-lock floor-spacer.
Still, both have the skill sets required to run plenty of big-to-big pick-and-rolls, and I continue to hold out hope Adebayo will deepen his three-point exploration as time goes on.
Sign me all the way up for their team’s defense. Imagine trying to score as Embiid patrols the paint and Adebayo functions as a Jaren Jackson Jr.-Giannis Antetokounmpo hybrid while also taking on more one-on-one reps.
Embiid seems less likely to request a trade anytime soon now that the Philadelphia 76ers have Paul George and Tyrese Maxey by his side. Just as well, too. The Miami Heat don’t exactly have superstar trade assets at their disposal.
It’s slightly easier to picture Adebayo getting frustrated as Jimmy Butler ages out. At the same time, he may welcome the opportunity to continue getting elevated in the pecking order. Embiid’s contract is also slated to expire sooner following Bam’s three-year extension, and the Heat, historically, have done a nice job positioning themselves around summers that feature superstar flight risks.
Counterpoint to the previous multiple counterpoints: Stars tend not to leave outright in free agency anymore (shout-out, again, to the Los Angeles Clippers.) For now, then, it’s tough to map out which side is more likely to be motivated to change scenery.
Forced to choose, I’d say it would have to happen in Miami. The Sixers could look to pivot around Maxey as Embiid and George age, and this side of the Al Horford-in-Philly era, the Heat are the team that’s shown more interest in dual-big setups.
