The Philadelphia 76ers are once again at a pivotal offseason crossroads, and this time, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft may be their most powerful bargaining chip. According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, rival teams expect Daryl Morey and the Sixers front office to explore blockbuster trade options involving either Kevin Durant or Lauri Markkanen, two stars who could drastically reshape the team’s future.
The potential packages being discussed reportedly include veteran forward Paul George and the highly coveted No. 3 pick, giving the Sixers a flexible route to either go all-in for a title next season or pivot toward a more sustainable long-term vision.
The decision ultimately hinges on how aggressively Morey wants to pursue a championship window that seems to be slipping through Joel Embiid’s injury-prone hands.
Kevin Durant, even at 37 years old, remains one of the league’s most lethal offensive players. Acquiring him would be a clear win-now move that would add elite shot creation and spacing next to Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
However, it also comes with major financial risk. Durant is owed $53 million for 2025-26 and is expected to seek another lucrative extension beyond that. Pairing a declining Durant with an aging and oft-injured Embiid may offer only a narrow shot at contention and no guarantee of success.
Lauri Markkanen, on the other hand, offers a more appealing blend of youth, upside, and contract value. The 7-foot forward is just 27 and entering a four-year extension. He averaged 23.2 points and 8.1 rebounds this past season while shooting 39.1% from three, making him a tailor-made fit next to a rim-dominant center like Embiid and a dynamic guard like Maxey.
He may not have the star power of Durant, but Markkanen gives the Sixers a younger building block who complements their existing core without breaking the bank or shortening their competitive timeline.
The potential deal involving George would be a logical reset. George struggled to live up to expectations in his first year with the Sixers and remains owed over $150 million across the next three seasons.
Trading him now, while attaching the No. 3 pick, could allow Philadelphia to offload his contract and gain a more fitting star in return, whether it’s Durant for a one- to two-year title push or Markkanen for a new, younger nucleus built around Maxey.
Of course, the Sixers could simply hold onto the pick and draft a high-upside rookie. Morey has said publicly that the “plan is to keep” the pick, though his track record of aggressive trades suggests anything is possible. If he does swing a deal, it’s likely to involve either a future Hall of Famer like Durant or a rising star like Markkanen.
In the end, the Sixers’ offseason hinges on one central question: Do they still believe Joel Embiid can lead them to a title, or is it time to quietly build a new era around Maxey? If they believe Embiid still has one elite run left in him, moving George and the No. 3 pick could be the boldest path forward.
