Sixers All-Star, Paul George
Photo by Michael Reaves/Getty Images
Sixers All-Star, Paul George
The Philadelphia 76ers, armed with the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, can potentially make a big trade in the coming weeks. Daryl Morey must choose between adding a proven veteran to the Sixers ‘ rotation or a young talent for the future.
Jonathan Wasserman of Bleacher Report has proposed a draft-night trade that would immediately position the Sixers as a genuine contender next season. The proposal looks like this:
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns Receive: No. 3 pick, Paul George and a 2030 first-round pick (top-three protected)
Durant is expected to be available for trade this summer. The Phoenix Suns need to retool their roster around Devin Booker. Pairing Durant with Joel Embiid would create a super team. Of course, Embiid must prove he’s healthy for that duo to work.
Nevertheless, if the Sixers are focused on winning a championship in the next few years, Durant is more logical than a young draft pick. Rookies need legitimate playing time to improve their games and acclimate to the NBA. However, Nick Nurse’s rotation will likely limit any potential draft pick, which could hinder their overall development.
Durant, on the other hand, is a proven winner. He’s a former MVP and two-time NBA champion. Furthermore, he has elite size and scoring, all of which are things Philadelphia’s roster sorely needs.
Morey Admits George’s Debut Season was Poor
In a recent appearance on “The Mike Missanelli Show” on 97.5 The Fanatic, Sixers President of Basketball Operations, Daryl Morey, opened up on George’s first season with the franchise.
“That, obviously, wasn’t his best year,” Morey said. “He would come out and say that himself. I think he may have done that. We believe he’ll bounce back. He was an elite defender. Offensively, he was brought in to be part of a unit with elite play on the wing defensively, space the floor on offense, with Joel and Tyrese, and we believe that can still work. Obviously, we haven’t really had much of a look at that. Even when they were healthy guys, certain guys would leave the game, or Joel was not 100% where he needed to be. So we have not seen that at this point.”
George played in 41 games for Philadelphia. His inability to stay healthy significantly affected the Sixers’ struggles. As such, it’s fair to assume the Sixers will at least explore what they could get back in a potential deal for the aging All-Star.
Morey Wants to Keep Sixers Draft Pick
In what could be a curveball for Wasserman’s trade proposal, it would appear Morey wants to keep the third overall pick in the upcoming draft.
“Yeah, our plan is to pick this pick, yeah,” Morey said during a recent episode of NBC Sports Philadelphia’s “Take Off Podcast.”. “Yeah, I think the top few, top three, four, you could argue, five maybe. I mean there’s good players in this draft. The top of this draft, I think, I would say I was very fortunate to start my career in the 2003 draft. Which some argue is the best draft of all time, but I think it’s in the top five of high-quality players in the top of the draft in my career.”
Of course, if Durant is offered in exchange for George and the draft pick, Morey will likely change his mind. The Sixers are constructed as a win-now roster. Adding a young talent doesn’t make much sense. Nevertheless, you have to make do with what you have, and if an elite star doesn’t become available, Morey’s best path forward is using the pick and building for the future.