NBA insider Jake Fischer debunked the claim that the Philadelphia Sixers are exploring Paul George's trade value leading up to the draft. Fischer added that when Philadelphia pursued George in free agency last summer, the belief was that the team wouldn't try to trade PG3 in the "early stages" of his time with the Sixers unless he asked to leave (subscription required).
George signed a four-year, $212 million contract with Philadelphia and didn't come close to living up to his value in his first season. He averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game, shooting 43% from the field and 35.8% from three. He played only 41 games.
Fischer acknowledged that the Sixers understand there is no chance they'd get an optimal return for George if they traded him this summer. It'd be difficult enough to find a trade suitor to take on a 35-year-old who is injury-prone and signed through the 2026-27 season (with a $56.6 million player option in 2027-28).
Sixers' Paul George desperation may never pay off
Philadelphia took a risk signing him last year, but was praised for it because it gave the team another star alongside Joel Embiid. Daryl Morey's bet didn't pay off, at least not yet (and it doesn't look like it ever will). It inadvertently helped the Sixers land the No. 3 pick in the draft, but the goal is to win a championship with Embiid. Time is ticking.
Morey put too much stock into the George signing, so much that they predetermined that he'd control his future. Little did they know that he'd struggle to the point where they would have no choice but to keep him. Attaching the No. 3 pick to George's contract might be enough to entice a team, but even that might not be enough. That doesn't matter anyway, considering that's something they reportedly don't want to explore.
The silver lining with the PG3 situation is that the Sixers play in the weaker of the two NBA conferences, so there could be a shot for them to make their long-awaited return to the ECF. Of course, it'd require Embiid and George to spend most of the 2025-26 season healthy, which might be too much of an ask. And there's the question of whether PG3 still has it in him to give Philly a chance to win a title.
A lot is hinging on what happens with George and which version of him will show up next season if he's still in Philadelphia. Maybe there is still some magic left over from the draft lottery that can help. That says a lot about the position Morey put the Sixers in.