It was reported on Wednesday that the 76ers discussed a potential trade of Paul George with the Utah Jazz, but the talks eventually broke down. Following this report, NBA Insider Marc Stein claimed to know the 76ers’ next plans. He claimed that the 76ers will now give their trio of George, Joel Embiid, and Tyrese Maxey another shot at trying to win a championship, despite a 42-year championship drought in Philadelphia.
“By simply staying at No. 3, Philadelphia would introduce an $11.1 million salary onto its books for 2025-26. So the Sixers expect to operate near (or maybe even above) the second apron for this upcoming campaign, sources say, as they prepare to give Joel Embiid, Paul George and Tyrese Maxey another shot to try to contend for a championship after they managed to appear in just 15 games (7-8) together this season,” claimed Stein in his latest report.
The 76ers landed the third overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft after finishing as the 13th seed in the Eastern Conference. Paul George signed a four-year, $212 million contract with the 76ers last season after rejecting a player option with the Clippers. He has averaged only 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists in 41 games for the 76ers, which is far below his career averages.
Having spent 14 seasons in the NBA before joining the 76ers, the former All-Star was expected to be the difference-maker for the 76ers this season. He averaged over 20 points per game in 10 of the 14 seasons in the NBA. However, he spent half of last season on the bench due to a knee injury and hence could not do it in the 15th season of his career.
The Joel Embiid Problem: What Should The 76ers Do?
The bigger concern for the 76ers was the injury situation of the former MVP, Joel Embiid, which allowed him to play only 19 games last season. He has been struggling with his left knee and multiple other injuries throughout his career.
But the only silver lining last season was that Tyrese Maxey took the leap to an All-Star-level player and was selected for his first All-Star game this season. He averaged 26.3 points, 6.1 assists, and 3.3 rebounds in 52 games this season.
If fully healthy, this trio can cause trouble for any team on the offensive end of the floor. However, the 76ers relying on their fitness to compete for a championship next season is a bit far-fetched. The only two seasons in his nine-year NBA experience where Embiid played more than 65 games were in 2021-22 (68 games played) and 2022-23 (66 games played, won the MVP award).
In the most ideal scenario for the 76ers, if this trio manages to stay healthy next season, they could leap from the bottom of the table to potential championship contenders.
In my opinion, though, they will not be able to accomplish that due to their injury history. The 76ers should ideally cash in on any trade value Embiid may have now itself before he loses all value in the NBA. He should be the first one they look to trade this season itself if possible.
But if they fail to get a championship this season, they should look to trade both George and Embiid before it is too late and build around Maxey.
