Anytime a star's name is floated in trade discussions, people always act like a team has to gut their roster and throw away all their future picks just to even entertain the idea of a trade.
KD was traded for Mikal, Cam, four picks, and a pick swap.
AD was traded for BI, Zo, Hart, and three picks.
Jimmy was traded for LaVine, Dunn, and a pick. He was also traded for RoCo, Dario Šarić and Jerryd Bayless.
Harden was traded for Simmons, Curry, Drummond, and two picks.
Dame was traded for Jrue, Grayson Allen, two picks, and a pick swap.
PG was traded for Oladipo and Sabonis — before they were stars.
Kawhi was traded for DeMar, Poeltl, and a pick.
Kyrie was traded for DFS, Dinwiddie, and a pick.
Mitchell was traded for Sexton, Ochai Ogbaji, Markkanen — before he broke out — and three picks as well as two swaps.
CP3 got traded for PatBev, LouWill, five bums, and a pick. Also, CP3 — even after his resurgence in OKC — was traded for Oubre, Rubio, and a pick.
Like, the biggest deal I just listed was the KD trade and that's because he's Kevin Durant. Of course, there are gargantuan deals like Harden to the Nets and PG to the Clippers...but more often than not, all it takes is a disgruntled star, 2 or 3 solid players, and about as many picks to get a deal done.
The Gobert deal really did do irreversible damage to the way star trades are perceived.
This whole post is in reference to the people who act like a trade package of Randle, Barrett, Robinson, and three picks for Embiid is somehow an awful deal as if that's not par for the course when examining other trades involving stars.
contract size, age and injury history matters as well. An aging star with 1-2 years remaining isnt getting the same haul as a guy in his prime with 3-4 years left on his deal.