NBA Rumors: OKC Russell Westbrook Announces Joel Embiid Max Contract Bid; Sixers C Threaten Steven Adams, Enes Kanter?

Aug 21, 2016 06:29 PM EDT

The Philadelphia 76ers appears to be done waiting for a Joel Embiid full recovery. With two more promising center players on deck, Jahlil Okafor and Nerlens Noel, the team is said to look into dislodging the injured star this offseason. Hence, it comes as no surprise that the Oklahoma City Thunder came running when a Joel Embiid trade finally opened recently.

Russell Westbrook and his squad are pegged to become one of the most widely anticipated NBA teams in the league this season. With the departure of Kevin Durant via free agency, the Steven Adams team has been raring to have a go on the Golden State Warriors as their former leader joined Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson and Draymond Green. Due to this goal in mind, the Oklahoma City Thunder are expected to be ruthless in their offseason moves this time.

Meanwhile, the Philadelphia 76ers offer something the Russell Westbrook squad might just need - a promising young star who can, later on, become the face of the Oklahoma City Thunder. With an abundance of players in the center post, the Sixers are earlier already anticipated to open their doors to an NBA trade. While a Jahlil Okafor trade had once been the main target of the other teams in the league, it looks like the Philadelphia 76ers are now more keen on releasing Joel Embiid instead.

The NBA journey of Joel Embiid had been cut short by injury. Although he was initially pegged to become one of the most promising centers in the NBA, the young Sixers star failed to prove his mettle as he fell victim to his body's limits. This forced the Philadelphia 76ers to draft Jahlil Okafor, thereby crowding the center role on the roster.

Rumors are rife that the Sixers are mulling over the idea of making Jahlil Okafor the main star in the lineup with Nerlens Noel as the backup. While some fans feel that a Joel Embiid return could still be possible, the NBA team is running out of time. Moreover, the entry of Ben Simmons in the group eliminates their need to groom the injured center as the face of the franchise.

At this point, though, no comment has been given by any of the parties concerned. The Oklahoma City Thunder remain focused on proving the Kevin Durant fans wrong. That is, Russell Westbrook and his team are gearing up to show that the super team of Stephen Curry, Klay Thompson, Draymond Green and the 2014 NBA MVP will not be enough to stop the Enes squad from dominating this season.