Richard Jefferson claims Knicks's development will pull in Joel Embiid along with second superstar - "Now guys want to play there"
The New York Knicks may be on the lookout to pair Jalen Brunson with another NBA All-Star and Joel Embiid joining the team is a possibility according to ESPN Analyst and Road Trippin' podcast host Richard Jefferson.
The 2022-23 NBA season was groundbreaking for the Knicks as they were able to finish top five in the NBA Eastern Conference and were able to go deep in the playoffs reaching the conference semi-finals.
Now that the Knicks are considered a winning team once again, A-list NBA stars may consider moving to New York and Brunson is a huge part of that.
"If you try and get a player to come in and be a superstar and save your organization, there's going to be a problem. No one wants to come be the savior of the New York Knicks," said Jefferson on the Road Trippin' show. "So now that they have talent, they built within, they've got core pieces, they've got an All-Star point guard in Brunson, now guys are going to want to play there."
The Philadelphia 76ers are in a huge mess right now with the James Harden situation and Joel Embiid is on a silent strike by taking away all Sixers affiliation from his social media page. With everything going on in the Sixers organization, the Knicks may come in and sweep the reigning MVP.
"I think Joel Embiid and another superstar will end up in New York. Brunson's on a friendly contract. Brunson's an All-NBA player that's getting paid like a low-level All-Star. He's getting paid 20+ when VanVleet got 30, right? I would say, Brunson right now, you would take Brunson over VanVleet," said Jefferson.
Only time can tell if Embiid finds himself in another team for the next season.
New York Knicks may attract Joel Embiid like Kevin Durant joined the Golden State Warriors.
The Golden State Warriors shocked the world when they signed Kevin Durant after a record-breaking 73 wins during the 2015-16 season. This deal was made possible since former league MVP Steph Curry had a friendly contract that allowed them to keep their championship core and add a superstar.
The Jalen Brunson contract with the Knicks is similar to Steph Curry's 2016 contract and it may lure in Joel Embiid to come to the Big Apple.
"So similar to Steph Curry having that team-friendly deal that allowed them to pay all of these guys and bring in Kevin Durant," says Jefferson. "I think that Brunson deal to be such a team-friendly one that allows them to get two max contracts which is very difficult today to have three max contract players and nothing else but minimums."
Jalen Brunson is set to be paid a guaranteed $51.3 million in the next two seasons with a $24.9 million player option by the 2024-25 season. On the other hand, Joel Embiid is on contract with the Sixers for $154 million for the next three years and a $59 million player option for the 2026-27 season.