The Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated from the 2026 NBA Playoffs in the second-round after a blowout 144-114 loss to the New York Knicks in Game 4. The Knicks convincingly swept the 76ers, holding a +89 point-differential over the four games while proving that the 76ers can never rely on home-court advantage against the swarms of traveling Knicks fans.This was an overachievement for the 76ers, who made it into the postseason through the Play-In Tournament. Their historic first-round series win over the No. 2 seed Boston Celtics, where they made a series comeback from down 3-1, proved that the pieces on this team are elite. However, their lack of depth and the injury-prone nature of superstar center Joel Embiid meant that they just couldn’t keep up their production as core players like Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe looked visibly fatigued.
The 76ers need to make a move this offseason to help the franchise progress into a more realistic contender. This likely means trading Paul George ($54,126,380), as the only other tradeable players on their roster are their core trio of Maxey, Embiid, and Edgecombe. But George’s salary and the 76ers’ war chest of draft assets mean there could be several interesting deals that could be made to help the franchise be a genuine contender next season.
Joel Embiid is the only MVP to never make it to the Conference Finals, so let’s look at four potential trades the 76ers must consider this summer to help Embiid finally advance past the second round.
Dillon Brooks
Trade Details
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: Dillon Brooks, Grayson Allen, Royce O’Neale
Memphis Grizzlies Receive: Paul George, 2030 First-Round Pick (PHI), 2028 Second-Round Pick (OKC), 2029 Second-Round Pick (PHI), 2031 Second-Round Pick (PHI), 2033 Second-Round Pick (PHI)
Dillon Brooks ($20,992,727) is coming off the best season of his career, averaging 20.2 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 1.0 steals this season. Grayson Allen ($18,125,000) is among the best shooters in the NBA, averaging 16.5 points and 1.4 steals. Royce O’Neale ($10,875,000) is a veteran forward who averaged 9.8 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists this season.
This is a strong trio that the 76ers could seamlessly integrate into their rotation if they were to use Paul George’s contract to add depth to their roster. It adds three switchable frontcourt players for the price of one, helping divide the load on the 76ers’ starters.
The Suns would receive four second-round picks and one first-round pick in this deal, getting Paul George next to Devin Booker. It also opens up a definite spot for Jalen Green and might lead to more opportunities for youngsters like Ryan Dunn on the roster. Since the Suns are clearly convinced Booker will be their point guard, George can provide supplemental playmaking as a wing scorer. He averaged 16.4 points, 3.9 rebounds, and 3.0 assists in the Playoffs and was one of the 76ers’ most dependable players, so he could be a good get alongside multiple future assets for a Suns team that’s retooling on the fly to remain competitive.
Adding three rotational players for the price of one might even lead to additional first-round compensation going to Phoenix, given the value of the players. O’Neale and Allen’s contracts are unfavorable given their length for specialist players, but Brooks could become a core member of their starting five alongside Maxey, Edgecombe, and Embiid.
He’s a proven winner and will help the 76ers be more viable next season. He averaged 26.0 points and 6.0 rebounds in the 2026 NBA Playoffs.
Trey Murphy III
Trade Details
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: Trey Murphy III, Saddiq Bey, Jordan Poole
New Orleans Pelicans Receive: Paul George, Quentin Grimes (sign-and-trade), 2028 First-Round Pick (LAC), 2030 First-Round Pick (PHI), 2028 Second-Round Pick (OKC), 2029 Second-Round Pick (PHI)
Trey Murphy III ($27,000,000) is one of the most underrated forwards in the NBA, averaging 21.5 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 1.5 steals last season. His style of play makes him seem like he could be a high-level contributor on a winning team, being able to fit into any offense with his brand of three-level scoring and strong perimeter defense. Murphy would be a clear upgrade on George for the 76ers.
Saddiq Bey ($6,557,080) averaged 17.7 points and 5.6 rebounds this season and would be a great rotational option, potentially even grabbing the starting power forward role on the 76ers. Jordan Poole ($34,044,642) might be one of the worst contracts in the NBA, but at least it’s an expiring one. He averaged 13.4 points and 3.1 assists this season, and could absorb minutes behind Maxey with their lack of backup guard play. Ultimately, Poole might be another trade asset for a potential midseason move if an advantageous one opens up.
Quentin Grimes would need to move to the Pelicans on a sign-and-trade deal that nets him at least $13 million in the first year of his contract. Given Grimes’ previous failures at attracting interest as a free agent, the 26-year-old guard could get a guaranteed long-term deal if he agrees to the sign-and-trade. He averaged 13.4 points, 3.6 rebounds, and 3.3 assists last season.
George would be a veteran presence on a young Pelicans squad, helping them take the next step while they’re clearly rebuilding. He could help them be competitive as well, while netting them multiple first and second-round picks. They also get to offload Poole in this deal, so such a framework could materialize with different combinations of draft compensation.
Kevin Durant
Trade Details
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: Kevin Durant
Houston Rockets Receive: Paul George, 2028 First-Round Pick (LAC), 2029 First-Round Pick (PHI), 2031 First-Round Pick (PHI)
The Houston Rockets’ partnership with Kevin Durant ($43,902,439) might meet an early end after a rough first season, where the franchise was eliminated in the first round (4-2) by a Lakers squad without Luka Doncic or Austin Reaves (for four games). Durant missed five of the six games in the series after averaging 26.0 points, 5.5 rebounds, and 4.8 assists over the regular season. His leaked burner account showed he holds negative feelings towards some of his teammates, so the Rockets could agree to this trade and get assets for him by accepting George into their locker room instead.
Durant would be a superstar addition, which is why they’d give up three first-round picks despite Durant’s age. The Rockets could just run it back with Durant, so to make them accept a trade like this, they’d have to sweeten the pot. The Rockets also have to accept the George salary dump, but George will also be motivated to help them compete in the short-term. Houston could bet on Fred VanVleet’s return and the continued development of their young core to remain competitive, with George proving he can be a strong complementary piece as well.
This would be a risk for the 76ers, as they’re going all-in on an old star despite having a high-potential sophomore (Edgecombe) and the 25-year-old Maxey. But Durant’s production still is too valuable for the cost to be anything less than this, especially to steal him away from a win-now Rockets squad.
Kawhi Leonard
Trade Details
Philadelphia 76ers Receive: Kawhi Leonard, Malik Monk
Sacramento Kings Receive: Paul George, Quentin Grimes (sign-and-trade), 2032 First-Round Pick (PHI), 2028 Second-Round Pick (OKC), 2033 Second-Round Pick (PHI)
LA Clippers Receive: Domantas Sabonis, 2028 First-Round Pick (LAC), 2029 First-Round Pick (LAC)
This would be the home-run trade for the 76ers that might be impossible to execute. Kawhi Leonard ($50,300,000) might move on to a new challenge this summer, and joining the 76ers might be the perfect one. He’d have young players like Maxey and Edgecombe to rely on to carry the team, while his brand of perfect plug-and-play basketball would fit seamlessly next to Embiid when he’s healthy. It’ll be a deal that allows both Leonard and Embiid to withstand the rigors of a regular season and then compete in the postseason. Leonard averaged 27.9 points, 6.4 rebounds, 3.6 assists, and 1.9 steals this season.
The 76ers also receive Malik Monk ($20,190,035) in this deal, who averaged 12.5 points this season. His contract was very hard to trade for the Kings all season, so dumping it in a deal for George would be a natural move. They can upgrade at shooting guard by accepting Quentin Grimes on a $11.5 million salary in a sign-and-trade while Monk adds offensive firepower off the bench on a 76ers squad that was over-reliant on Maxey’s production all season.
To make a Leonard trade possible, it has to be a three-team deal since it’s unlikely the Clippers would accept Paul George as the main returning asset. Given that the Sacramento Kings have new centers like Maxime Raynaud to promote amid a rebuild, Domantas Sabonis ($45,472,000) might be the perfect star addition for the Clippers to stay competitive with Darius Garland and Bennedict Mathurin. Sabonis averaged 15.8 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 4.1 assists in 19 games in a troubled 2025-26 season, but a new destination might help him return to All-Star form.
The Kings would need to continue rebuilding their roster by finding homes for Zach LaVine and DeMar DeRozan, with George serving as the veteran for the upcoming young core with the No. 8 pick, Raynaud, Devin Carter, and more. George would be close to his Los Angeles home, so this wouldn’t be the worst destination to spend the remaining two years on his contract, although it might mean an end to making Playoff runs in the short term.
