Key Points
Bullet point summary by AI
- The Philadelphia 76ers face a critical decision on how to build depth around their max-contract core.
- Three long-shot trade scenarios for Paul George could free up cap space while adding versatile role players and draft assets.
- Each proposal targets teams in full rebuild mode, but the moves hinge on taking on Paul George's expensive contract to unlock new roster possibilities.
After yet another disappointing season, the Philadelphia 76ers find themselves at a crossroads with their "Big 3" of Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George. All three players are on max contracts, and if this playoff run proves for the Sixers, it is that having depth is extremely important, as Bob Myers had indicated after the team fired president of basketball operations, Daryl Morey.
The 76ers have now hired former Cleveland Cavaliers general manager Mike Gansey as their president of basketball, and Gansey has a tough road ahead of him. If Myers and Philly ownership really want more quality depth, then trading one of the "Big 3" is a must. However, that's where the rubber meets the road for Gansey and the Sixers.
Maxey should be off the table as he's just made All-NBA this past season, and due to the extensive injury concerns, former MVP Embiid has no trade value. That leaves George, who doesn't have much value either, but despite the fact that he's an overpaid role player, he's still a pretty good defender and a veteran presence that some young teams could use.
Now, three trades will be broken down in this article, and I won't rehash the Orlando Magic trade I wrote about in the past, nor will I do the popular Detroit Pistons trade, that many fans are hoping fo. These three potential trades might be long shots, but they are plausible ones that Gansey and Myers should explore.
Trade Paul George to the Chicago Bulls
The first team the Philadelphia 76ers should call about a potential trade involving George is the Chicago Bulls. They've already hired a new head of basketball operations, Bryson Graham, and are in search of a new head coach.
The Bulls also have the most salary cap space of any team heading into the offseason, so they are not only able to take on a bad contract like George's but are also willing to, as Graham indicated in his introductory press conference.
With that in mind, below is a hypothetical trade that helps Philly get off of George's deal.
The Bulls get out of the Patrick Williams deal, which was a massive overpay for the Bulls when they extended his contract back in the 2024 offseason. Chicago also gets another first-round pick for this upcoming draft, which brings their number of first-round picks to three, five total picks for this draft. They also get a top-3 protected pick via the Los Angeles Clippers in 2029 that should be pretty valuable.
Besides getting out of George's deal, Philly gets quality depth that they've needed. Despite being overpaid, Williams can step in as a starter or come off the bench. Isaac Okoro and Jalen Smith are solid bench players at this point in their careers. Tre Jones is a borderline starter but an ideal backcourt mate for Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
Trade Paul George to the Brooklyn Nets
The next team that Gansey should call about trading George would be the Brooklyn Nets. Like the Bulls, the Nets are in the middle of a rebuild, and just like the last time they were rebuilding under GM Sean Marks, the team should take on bad contracts.
Right now, the Nets only have one proven franchise cornerstone, and that's Michael Porter Jr., who they acquired in a trade this past offseason. They have young players who are developing, but none of proven to be a franchise guy yet, so taking on George's deal to get more picks should be something they are open to.
Let's be clear, the Sixers get an ideal center in Nicolas Claxton in this proposed deal. Claxton can come off the bench when Embiid is healthy, and is a quality starter in the NBA when Embiid is injured. The reason why Philly gets him in this deal is due to him not fitting the rebuilding timeline the Nets are in. Both Terance Mann and Noah Clowney are both solid role players as well.
The Nets are still in the middle of scoring 3 first round picks in this fake trade. All they have to do is to give up on a quality center, which sadly doesn't fit their timeline, and to take on a bad contract, which should be looked at as a win for Brooklyn.
Trade Paul George to the Milwaukee Bucks
This last trade was a bit tricky, so adding a third team made more sense, especially if the Philadelphia 76ers can jump in on a Giannis Antetokounmpo hypothetical trade. Since a Giannis trade seems likely to happen, it makes sense to see if Philly can get in on a potential deal.
If the Bucks are trading Giannis, they should be in full rebuild mode and be open to trading anyone on the roster that doesn't figure to be a part of the future. With that in-mind, below is a hypothetical 3-team trade involving one of the league's biggest stars.
Yes, the Bucks have to take on George's deal in this potential deal, but they get a proven young guard in Tyler Herro, a young big man with plenty of potential in Kel'el Ware, and four first-round picks, all of which have good to great value. If the Bucks are truly going to rebuild, then there aren't many potential trade packages better than this one.
The Miami Heat get their superstar in Giannis, as the Heat have a penchant for going after superstars. Having a duo of Giannis and Bam Adebayo will make Miami an automatic contender in the Eastern Conference. It also helps to get a backup center to replace Ware in Adem Bona.
After this past season, one could argue that Nikola Jovic is on a bad contract, but a fresh start in Philly could be what he needs to be what his contract expects him to be. Like with Claxton, Myles Turner can be Embiid's high-quality backup who can keep the team afloat when necessary despite the overpaid contract he's on. Kyle Kuzma would hopefully be coming off the bench for Philly in this scenario as an elite sixth man. Also adding in a second-round pick in this upcoming draft to take on these bad contracts helps Philly as well.
Only time will tell if any of these long-shot trades actually happen, but if they do, all three of them would have the Philadelphia 76ers in a better spot than they were before the trade, with added depth that can be relied on.
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