Philadelphia 76ers fans may want to get ready for the Anthony Davis rumor machine to spin up again.
It already started once the Sixers were tied to LeBron James’ free agency sweepstakes, and there’s a good chance it circles back in the fall. Davis is currently said to be satisfied with his situation on the Washington Wizards, but that can shift fast if the extension isn’t there.
ESPN has already floated the idea that a slow start to the 2026-2027 NBA season could push Davis toward asking out. If that happens, Philadelphia is going to be one of the first teams dragged into the conversation.
That’s the reality when LeBron James enters the picture. The rumors never really stop with his former teammates, and Davis is one of the biggest names in that orbit.
James and Davis were teammates on the Los Angeles Lakers, where they won a championship together in 2020. Even after they split, the speculation kept going.
When Davis was traded to the Dallas Mavericks in the deal that sent Luka Doncic to Los Angeles, there were still rumors about James wanting to reunite with Davis on the Golden State Warriors.
For the Sixers, the familiar twist is Joel Embiid. Philadelphia didn’t have to sweat those Davis links before because Embiid was already on the roster. But if Embiid keeps running into setbacks and the Wizards’ retool doesn’t look good right away, the Davis-to-Philly chatter will come whether anyone wants it or not.
From the Sixers’ side, moving Embiid doesn’t make much sense right now. His contract alone makes the math ugly, since Philadelphia would likely have to add assets just to get another team to take on his massive three-year, $187.8 million deal that has not even begun yet.
When he’s healthy, Embiid is still one of the league’s most dangerous scorers. It would be a tough sell to give up picks and send out a future franchise centerpiece for a player who would probably only be around for two seasons at most.
And Davis? He’s not exactly the clean answer to the same problem.
If there’s a player whose career trajectory mirrors Embiid’s recent reality, it’s Davis. On the court, he’s still dominant when available.
The problem is availability. Davis played 76 games in 2023-2024 with the Lakers, then 42 in 2024-2025 before getting into only nine games with the Mavericks.
Last season, he played 20 games with the Mavs before being traded to Washington while recovering from a setback, and he never suited up for the Wizards.
Since the 2024-2025 season, Davis has played 71 games. Embiid has played 64 over that same stretch.
That’s why the idea of Philadelphia trading Embiid feels far-fetched. The Sixers have already taken enough swings with him to keep pressing ahead.
The Wizards, meanwhile, don’t look like the kind of team that would jump into a massive all-or-nothing move for Embiid. Washington wants to contend in 2026-2027, but that doesn’t mean it has to make that kind of bet.
Any team chasing Embiid should believe it can win as soon as next year. That isn’t Washington.
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The real question now is how the 76ers finish the group around the rim, where they are still sorting out the primary backup center spot between young options. Dominick Barlow and Adem Bona each bring a different look, and whichever one claims that job will help determine just how far this second unit can go from simply holding ground to actually changing games when the starters sit. [Read more 🡒]