A buy-out guy almost certainly will be added. Maybe Quentin Grimes will be back next year and beyond. But on Wednesday when the Sixers decided to trade Jared McCain, I figured something was brewing. 

Joel Embiid turns 32 next month. He may have three years left on his contract after this year, but his body could have a different plan. He’s playing at a high level right now. The scary teams are in the Western Conference. This would have been a good time to add at least someone of consequence. 

Crickets. 

Daryl Morey will speak to reporters today. I am curious to see how he responds to the eventual questions about Embiid’s comments a week ago. Yeah, they happened before Paul George’s suspension, but they still hold weight, even more so without George eligible to play for another 21 games. Embiid said he didn’t want to only duck the tax. He wanted to see moves that made the Sixers tangible better this season. Well, trading a guard who recently found his offensive groove after being a shell of himself for much of the season, and replacing him with…no actual player. It’s a tough sell. 

As anyone would tell you, they didn’t need to move off of McCain to duck the tax. Eric Gordon would have been sufficient on his own, thanks to George’s suspension lowering the tax bill. Andre Drummond makes more than McCain. Sure, maybe you’d have to attach a second-round pick, but that’s nothing crazy. 

Trading McCain was saying you didn’t believe in him. A first and three seconds isn’t nothing. The Rockets could easily pick in the lower 20s as they try to figure out how to play an efficient offense. But the bigger point remains. The majority of salary is tied up to Embiid and George. If now isn’t the time to do something, when would be? 

Logic is sound to consider the VJ Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey timeline when thinking about this team now and into the future. McCain most likely wouldn’t fit their future, so it is understandable to trade him. Even if it feels deeply personal. McCain was the bright spot over the first two months during his rookie season. And then injuries took form. He had found his footing lately, but he was the fourth guard in a sometimes three-guard rotation. Again, no real issue with trading McCain even if it felt abrupt. But not using the space, specifically the trade exception from last year’s KJ Martin trade, to not add a ball handler, a knock-down shooter, or a more versatile back-up big? Borderline inexcusable. 

I understand it takes another team. It’s one of the many things about being a fan that’s frustrating. We don’t know what offers were there. We don’t know much about anything when it comes to negotiations. I am sure Morey will say something along those lines. That they tried. And nothing made sense. But it is hard to justify doing nothing for right now.

Especially watching Embiid last night. He scored 35 points. He was brilliant, at times. The backups struggled, though. Maxey couldn’t make a three, I know, but still. He has earned grace. This team could use a jolt. And any player they could have added would not have played last night, but that isn’t the point. 

We’ll see if they can bring in a legitimate buy-out guy to give Nick Nurse another option. But the damage is done. 

They had a chance to get better this season with a trade. 

They told fans to kick rocks. 

They ignored Embiid completely.