The Philadelphia 76ers will largely parade the same roster next season, but almost everyone has already penciled them in as a riser in the upcoming campaign. But to be frank, that is only because things are probably not going to get any worse for the franchise when it comes to injuries, which was the primary reason behind their drastic decline last season en route to a lottery finish.
If the squad fails to turn in an acceptable finish next season, the front office has to seriously consider going after a complete roster makeover. Two of the team’s All-Star players, Joel Embiid and Paul George, are both on the wrong side of 30 and are also among the biggest injury risks in the entire association.
The team does not even need to wait for the push to come to a shove. The 76ers have been one of the most successful regular season teams in the league since 2017, but has little playoff success to show for it. Thus, the sense of desperation among the team’s top decision-makers could soon reach a tipping point.
But before that happens, the 76ers should already closely monitor the situation with this superstar, who could eventually turn into the biggest jackpot of the trade market.
The 76ers should keep close tabs on Devin Booker if the Suns falter
Another huge question mark ahead of the 2025-26 season is the ceiling of the new-look Phoenix Suns. After trading Kevin Durant and parting ways with Bradley Beal, they will again be led by Devin Booker, who just signed a massive two-year, $145 million contract extension with the only NBA team he has ever known.
Booker is among the most entrenched franchise players in the league, but with the Suns entering a shaky era, his stint in Phoenix could end up being fallible to the rampant player movement happening across the league.
The Western Conference is brutal, and the Suns have little to no chances of making a deep playoff run. And if their front office commences a rebuild, the 76ers should slowly try to put the pressure on Phoenix in order to cudgel them into making Booker available for taking.
Under the context of a rebuild, the Suns cannot afford to keep Booker any longer. Philadelphia, on the other hand, has the sufficient draft ammo and salary-matchers to strike a tenable trade framework, aside from the fact that he would be the perfect Batman to Tyrese Maxey’s Robin in an Embiid and George-less world.
Obviously, that prospect is way too presumptuous at this very juncture, but far more unprecedented things have happened just recently. And if Devin Booker somehow ends up being a sterling trade piece, the Philadelphia 76ers should pounce right off the bat.