The Philadelphia 76ers are coming off a season in which they were undoubtedly one of the more disappointing teams of the 2024-25 season.
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The 76ers entered the season with high hopes, but those quickly dissipated as injuries and inconsistent play started to pile on them. Injuries were their end-all, be-all, and ultimately, they came back to bite them in the butt in a big way.
The 76ers could now shift their attention in a big way, and it could come in the form of Paul George. George, who signed a massive deal last summer, could be one-and-done in Philadelphia.
ESPN's Jonathan Givony shared how the 76ers could be looking to trade their No. 3 overall pick and George for either Suns superstar Kevin Durant or Utah Jazz star Lauri Markkanen.
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"Some teams expect the Sixers to be active in trade conversations, with names such as Kevin Durant (Phoenix) and Lauri Markkanen (Utah) as potential targets in packages that could include Paul George and the No. 3 pick. Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has made a career of being active and aggressive on the trade front, but historically, it's rare to see a top-three pick being traded," wrote Givony.
Last offseason, George signed a massive four-year, $212 million contract with Philadelphia. His first season in the city of Brotherly Love did not go as expected. He only played half the season (41 games), and averaged 16.2 points per game, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.8 steals while shooting 43 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from three in 32.5 minutes of action.
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The 76ers have their biggest asset in the No. 3 pick to work with, and that could be enough to move on from George with this strong draft class ahead.
While George is younger than Durant, there's little doubt that Durant remains the superior player at this point in their careers. That said, pursuing him would come with significant risk. Durant's current contract is nearing its end, and Markkanen is slated to earn $49 million in the upcoming season.
The 76ers may be open to moving on from George, but the return package - and who they'd be willing to part with - presents a much more complicated situation.
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This story was originally published May 21, 2025 at 6:04 PM.