Former Houston Rockets forward thinks Joel Embiid will end up on New York Knicks this season

Former NBA forward Chandler Parsons doesn’t think Joel Embiid’s stint with the Philadelphia 76ers is going to last much longer.

In the eyes of the 35-year-old, Embiid will be with the New York Knicks by the time the playoffs arrive this season.

The Sixers are in the midst of another tricky situation involving a star player who wants out, as James Harden seems ready for his time with the organization to end.

The veteran guard may ultimately suit up Philadelphia this season, but given his feelings about the organization, there are certainly questions about the viability of the Harden-Embiid duo lasting the entire 2023-24 season.

If the Sixers eventually trade Harden away — an outcome that many fans expect — Embiid may be left with a roster that isn’t talented enough to contend for a championship. A scenario like that could spell trouble for the organization, with Embiid still trying to make a deep playoff run for the first time in the NBA.

One NBA front office source recently suggested that the Sixers and executive Daryl Morey have gotten themselves into a mess that may be unfixable.

The Knicks are often linked to superstar players, but they’ve frequently come up empty in recent years. A deal for Embiid would certainly put an end to that pattern, and depending on the details of such a trade, the Knicks could find themselves thrown into title conversations in the NBA.

Embiid was named MVP last season after averaging 33.1 points, 10.2 rebounds and 4.2 assists per game. The Sixers won a series in the 2023 NBA Playoffs but were eliminated in the second round by the Boston Celtics.

The Knicks, meanwhile, also won a playoff series last season before fading out in the second round. New York will likely need to make some roster changes before becoming a serious threat in the Eastern Conference, but the team is expected by many to be respectable again this season.

New York will open its 2023-24 season on Wednesday, and Philadelphia will do so on Thursday. If Parsons’ prediction proves to be true, the coming weeks and months figure to be very eventful for both teams.