Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers has been ranked No. 2 on CBS Sports' list of the NBA's top 10 trade candidates, behind Washington Wizards forward Anthony Davis, as the league prepares for the 2026-27 season to tip off. The placement comes as a surprise given the 76ers' ambitious offseason moves, which include pairing Embiid and guard Tyrese Maxey with newly added stars LeBron James and Jaylen Brown in a "Big Four" lineup.
CBS Sports' Sam Quinn suggested that with stars at every position, the 76ers "may simply decide they'd prefer a lower-usage center they can trust defensively" at a much lower salary. Embiid, the 2023 league MVP and a seven-time All-Star, has struggled with injuries in recent seasons, and his large contract could become a factor if the new-look team struggles to find chemistry.
Davis, a 10-time All-Star and NBA champion, tops the list amid reports that the Wizards do not plan to give him the large maximum contract extension he is seeking. Writer David Aldridge said there was little doubt that Davis' agent Rich Paul "already has gamed out other teams' interest in Davis."
The remainder of the list includes Golden State's Jimmy Butler, Boston's Paul George, San Antonio's De'Aaron Fox, Sacramento's Zach LaVine and Domantas Sabonis, New Orleans' Zion Williamson, Brooklyn's Michael Porter Jr., and Detroit's Jalen Duren. Dallas Mavericks guard Kyrie Irving was listed as an honourable mention at No. 11. Trade activity typically picks up after 15 December, when most offseason signings become eligible to be traded.
