The Sixers signed Mo Bamba on Wednesday, adding the former sixth-overall pick to their rotation. Bamba was traded midway through the 2022-23 season, leaving Orlando for the Lakers. However, he played just nine games for LA and was officially waived in late June. Bamba has never really lived up to his sixth-overall selection, especially considering the other players taken in that 2018 draft. In fact, Orlando eventually replaced Bamba with the guy taken one pick after him, Wendall Carter Jr.
However, he will provide some depth behind MVP Joel Embiid at the center position, especially if the Sixers let current backup center Paul Reed go in free agency. But an interesting thread that can be pulled with the Bamba signing is where this leaves recent rumors connecting the New York Knicks to Sixers starter Joel Embiid.
Could The Knicks Make A Play For Embiid?
It's no secret that the Knicks want Embiid. They have reportedly been eyeing the MVP center for some time and are reportedly serious about potentially trying to swing a massive trade for him. While the Sixers have been fairly adamant that there's no way Embiid will be leaving the team, the Knicks remain hopeful. Now, the Sixers have gone and signed a serviceable player at Embiid's position. Naturally, the intention is for Bamba to play behind Embiid. But could he play instead of him?
Furthermore, the Sixers are in a state of flux. They are currently trying to work out a trade for James Harden, who has made it clear he wants out of Philly. Meanwhile, the Knicks are in the perfect place to make a ridiculously lucrative trade for Embiid. They have nine first-round picks between now and 2030. They could also have two more first-rounders, depending on how badly the Wizards and Pistons play for the next couple of years. Additionally, they have a stable of young talent that the Sixers could immediately utilize. So while the trade is unlikely, it's possible at the very least. And now the Sixers have stacked up at the position affected most by it.
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