After a Thursday evening win that screamed, “The Sixers are back!“ I woke up on Friday to see a trade idea thrown out that involves the Milwaukee Bucks making a deal for a certain star-in-the-making rookie…
Bill Simmons, the Podfather himself in the middle of his re-apex, just dropped a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade podcast for The Ringer, going over several hypothetical trades for the two-time MVP. One such move involves the Bucks sending Antetokounmpo to Philly for a package centered on VJ Edgecombe.
Simmons’ proposed deal includes Antetokounmpo and Gary Harris going to Philly while Edgecombe, Paul George and a draft asset go back to the Bucks.
The Ringer’s and Philly’s own Chris Ryan joins Simmons for the conversation and Ryan immediately shoots down the trade idea and for good reason. I couldn’t agree more.
I’m tired of trying to find older co-stars for Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. I lived through the James Harden saga. We are currently living through the Paul George era and while it would be phenomenal for the Sixers to get off his contract, losing Edgecombe in the process (pun not intended) would just be so antithetical to everything that’s made this Sixers season a pleasant surprise and what the direction of this franchise needs to be going forward.
I want to watch Maxey and Edgecombe grow together instead of seeing the Sixers haphazardly throw their chips into the middle of the table for Antetokounmpo even if the East is more wide open than usual this year and Embiid is finally rounding into form. I see a more realistic path for the Sixers to make the NBA Finals in, say, 2028 rather than 2026 with Maxey and Edgecombe in their respective primes. I don’t want to chase something that’s not truly there. I just want to enjoy watching the Sixers play basketball and for the first time in a long time, I’m there.
