What could a Knicks’ Jalen Brunson-Joel Embiid duo accomplish?
By Max Hoover
Joel Embiid has not had a teammate during his tenure with the Philadelphia 76ers who can shoulder a load offensively as Jalen Brunson did during his last two playoff runs. That fact alone should put the New York Knicks at the top of Embiid’s list of destinations should he flee the City of Brotherly Love.
Listen, I get it. I’m putting the cart before the horse. I’m jumping the shark. I’m letting the donkey patrol the cornfield. I’m writing in May about the potential playoff ramifications of the reigning league MVP potentially asking to leave the only NBA home he’s known and New York potentially acquiring him.
That’s certainly a boatload of caveats, but these are the conversations that have to take place when a franchise has a cornerstone that just put on the playoff performance that Brunson did.
Joel Embiid has never teamed with an offensive weapon like Knicks’ Jalen Brunson
One of the grumbles about Joel Embiid already making its way around Knicks fan circles is his lack of playoff success. Despite career averages of 27.2 points, 11.2 rebounds, and 3.4 assists per game, Embiid has never made it out of the second round of the playoffs.
People argue that Embiid takes the regular season fool’s gold that they see from Julius Randle to even lower depths. How could you cash in all the chips for the only MVP in league history not to make the conference finals?
While that assessment is technically correct, context is desperately needed here. While it is true that Embiid sees some dips in his playoff performance, he has never had a teammate who could contribute on offense like Brunson does.
Knicks’ Jalen Brunson could take pressure off Joel Embiid offensively
Historically, Embiid’s second bananas in the playoffs average just 17.9 points per game on 41.3% shooting with a 0.3 net rating. During the 2022 playoffs playing second fiddle to Luka Doncic in Dallas, Brunson averaged 21.6 points per game on 46.6% shooting with a 1.6 net rating.
Embiid has only had one teammate put up offensive numbers even close to that during his time with the Sixers. Tobias Harris averaged 21.8 points per game on 48.8% shooting in the 2021 playoffs.
However, no Philly teammate holds a candle to Brunson’s playoff performance with the Knicks, where he averaged 27.8 points per game on 47.4% shooting. That includes both Jimmy Butler and James Harden. Neither has averaged more than twenty points per game as an Embiid teammate during a playoff run.
Consider how Brunson and Embiid could flourish in an offense that features the other. That’s an exciting prospect for a franchise with its own conference finals hurdle to clear. Given how wide open the East feels, it might be a trade worth exploring. Everyone should benefit.
