Although the Philadelphia 76ers hold the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA draft, they’re reportedly open to trading away one of their veteran players and moving down in the order.

76ers Exploring Options With Paul George

During an appearance on The Bill Simmons Podcast, Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated reported that Paul George has been mentioned as a potential trade candidate if Philadelphia decides to move down.

“I don’t know what Philadelphia is going to do here. Do they just sit on that draft pick and take it? Or do they try to package it? Is Paul George in play? I’ve heard some of that over the last 24 hours — that they could be looking to trade back with Paul George to do something there,” Mannix said.

However, NBA insider Jake Fischer of The Stein Line reported earlier this month that Philadelphia’s front office has no plans to trade George one season into his four-year, $212 million deal.

“Recent reports suggesting that the Sixers will be looking to explore George’s trade market in conjunction with the draft are a misread. There have been no indications that they are looking to package George with the No. 3 pick or try to move him on his own,” Fischer wrote.

Desperate times call for desperate measures.

George Was Limited To 41 Games Last Season Due To Injuries

George is slated to make $51.66 million in 2025-26, then $54.12 million in 2026-27. His deal also includes a $56.58 million player option for 2027-28 and a 15% trade bonus.

The 76ers signed George during the 2024 offseason to form a new Big Three with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, but the trio went on to miss 134 games combined in 2024-25.

George played in just 41 games due to multiple injuries and averaged just 16.2 points per game, his lowest season average since his second year in the league with the Indiana Pacers.

The Sixers also finished 24-58 last season and failed to make the playoffs for the first time since the 2016-17 campaign. Philadelphia hasn’t reached the NBA Finals since 2001.

Sixers Need Big Three To Stay Healthy

If George and fellow stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey can stay healthy, the 76ers could potentially challenge top contenders like the Pacers and New York Knicks in the East.

The Sixers need to find a way to make their current Big Three work, as they lack roster flexibility since 77% ($146 million) of their payroll is tied up in Embiid, Maxey, and George.

According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the Sixers will send the Oklahoma City Thunder a top-4 protected first in 2026 and then the Brooklyn Nets a top-8 protected first in 2028. The pick owed to Oklahoma City is top-4 protected in 2027 if not conveyed in the prior season.

The 76ers have an unprotected first from the Los Angeles Clippers in 2028 and the right to swap first-rounders in 2029 (if 4-30) and they have nine second-round picks available to use in a trade. They are allowed to trade their own first in 2030 and 2032.

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