3 emergency trades for desperate 76ers after latest Paul George injury

The Philadelphia 76ers fell to 2-12 with a disheartening loss to the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday. That game occurred in the aftermath of a well-documented team meeting, in which Tyrese Maxey called out Joel Embiid for his constant tardiness. It also happened to be the debut of Philadelphia's vaunted 'Big 3' of Embiid, Maxey, and Paul George. The Grizzlies, meanwhile, were without Ja Morant.

There is no excuse for losing that game. Point blank. The Sixers needed to respond in the face of adversity, but instead, fans were treated to more of the same — lazy, disconnected defense, stagnant offense, and underperforming stars. Embiid finally put together a solid outing, but his All-Star teammates couldn't deliver. And, to make matters worse, the Sixers' made it more than two quarters with their 'Big 3' available.

Less than a minute into the third quarter, Paul George suffered a left knee hyperextension and bone bruise — the same injury that forced him to miss the first five games of the season. George is now out for two games at least, with the potential for a longer absence.

This may be only a temporary inconvenience for Philadelphia, but those are starting to pile up. George has now hurt the same knee twice in the span of a month, which raises unavoidable questions about his durability for the entire 82-game season. Pair that with Philadelphia's myriad other injury concerns, and it's time for Daryl Morey to act with urgency.

Here are a few trades the Sixers need to explore as soon as possible.

Subscribe to The Whiteboard, FanSided’s daily email newsletter on everything basketball. If you like The Whiteboard, share it with a friend! If you don’t like The Whiteboard, share it with an enemy.

3. Sixers can pry Kelly Olynyk, Jonathan Mogbo out of Toronto

Kelly Olynyk has yet to appear in a game for the Toronto Raptors this season, but he recently returned to practice in a limited capacity. Kelly Oubre Jr. and KJ Martin can't be dealt until Dec. 15, so there's a decent chance we get to see how Olynyk looks before this trade can cross the finish line. That said, Daryl Morey should be working the phone lines in Toronto already.

Finding a better power forward is Philadelphia's top priority ahead of the trade deadline. Olynyk kills two birds with one stone, giving the Sixers a legitimate spacer and connective passer in the four spot who can also operate as Joel Embiid's backup. With how Andre Drummond has performed to date, the Sixers might want to think about a new second-string center, too. Olynyk can fill both voids.

The bang for your buck with Olynyk is great at his price range. He's signed to an extremely affordable two-year, $26.3 million contract, and he's the perfect skill set to tie together the Sixers' ailing frontcourt. He can run DHOs and two-man actions with Jared McCain or Tyrese Maxey, he can space the floor next to Joel Embiid, or he can operate as a post passing hub with the second-unit gunners. There's so much optionality there.

Jonathan Mogbo is more than a throw-in, too. The 23-year-old rookie is a frenetic and rangy defender, capable of interesting playmaking and finishing flourishes as a small-ball five. He needs to learn how to shoot eventually, but Mogbo has been a positive-impact defender out of the gate and would have a serious case for minutes in Philadelphia.

2. 76ers can find great value in Hawks forward Larry Nance Jr.

The Atlanta Hawks are on the postseason bubble in the remarkably weak Eastern Conference, but expect them to operate as sellers at the trade deadline. Larry Nance Jr. has appeared in nine games to date, averaging 7.9 points and 2.4 rebounds in 15.6 minutes while drilling 63.6 percent of his 3s on career-high volume.

It's a small sample size and those 3-point numbers will obviously fall off, but Nance should be easily gettable on an expiring $11.2 million contract. He's exactly what the 76ers need on paper — a forward-center combo who can cover space defensively, hit spot-up 3s, and provide a bit of physicality in the frontcourt.

The Sixers essentially get a Drummond backup plan and somebody who can share the floor with Embiid. Nance has become known over the years for his high-flying acrobatics, but the 31-year-old is a dynamic offensive talent. He passes well for his position, often making quick reads out of the short roll. He would add useful versatility to the Sixers' second unit, while also providing an edge and physicality that Philadelphia desperately lacks.

For the small price of two fringe rotation pieces and a couple second-round picks, the Sixers land a legitimate impact player at a position(s) of need. This is good business.

1. Nets are the most obvious 76ers trade partner with Dorian Finney-Smith

This trade — or some variety of it — has been a topic of discussion in the Sixers fandom for months. Well, now is the time. The Brooklyn Nets are about to engage in a fire sale to end all fire sales. It's Cooper Flagg or bust for the Nets, so offloading Dorian Finney-Smith for a couple fringe rotation pieces and a valuable first-round pick is good business. Kelly Oubre probably puts up uncomfortably big numbers in Brooklyn, but there's a difference between putting up numbers and impacting winning. Plus, that just means the Nets can flip Oubre down the line. Again, it's good business.

From Philadelphia's perspective, Finney-Smith is the perfect fifth starter next to Embiid, George, Maxey, and McCain (assuming we see that group consistently this season). The Sixers need more defense and physicality at the power forward spot. Finney-Smith isn't an elite rebounder, but he provides decent size at 6-foot-7, 220 pounds and impressively versatile defense. He is easily swept under the rug in Brooklyn, but Doe is among the most impactful wing defenders in the NBA when he's locked in.

Finney-Smith is hitting 42.5 percent of his 3s out of the gate this season, averaging a healthy 11.2 points and 4.7 rebounds in 29.0 minutes — the best numbers of his career. It's early, but the track record is strong and the fit is seamless. He won't reinvent the wheel, but Finney-Smith is the sort of bankable 3-and-D role player Philadelphia has struggled to find over the years. His affordable contract, with a $15.3 million player option for next season, makes it even better.