The Philadelphia 76ers will have their eyes firmly on the upcoming draft after a disastrous season. Both Paul George and Joel Embiid struggled with their health throughout the campaign, leaving the Sixers fighting an uphill battle all year.
However, the Sixers’ season could have taken a sharp turn at the Feb. 6 trade deadline. In a recent article from ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the veteran analyst looked at how each team in the league could have acquired Luka Doncic if the Dallas Mavericks hadn’t only sounded out the Los Angeles Lakers.
Marks’ proposed deal for the Sixers would have included George and multiple future first-round picks. Here’s how the deal would have looked:
Mavericks Get: Paul George, a 2026 first-round pick (least favorable of Houston; if 6-30, Oklahoma City and Clippers), a 2028 unprotected first-round pick (via Clippers), a 2029 unprotected first-round pick and a 2031 unprotected first-round pick
Sixers Get: Luka Doncic
“Joel Embiid cannot be traded because he signed an extension, leaving Philadelphia with Tyrese Maxey and George as the two trade options,” Marks wrote. “Maxey, the 24-year-old All-Star guard on the first of a five-year max contract, should be a nonstarter in trade talks — even with the possibility of acquiring Doncic. The four first-round picks are the maximum Philadelphia can send in a deal.”
The Sixers would still have been without Embiid, but the duo of Doncic and Maxey could have been enough to ensure Philadelphia remained competitive. Unfortunately, Doncic was traded to the Lakers in a deal that caught the entire basketball world by surprise.
Did Paul George Choose Sixers for Wrong Reasons?
According to Gilbert Arenas, George joined the Sixers for the paycheque rather than for actual basketball reasons.
“What went wrong? Preseason, maybe an emotional departure,” Arenas said. “$160 million to lose in the Western Conference Finals or $212 million to not make the playoffs? When you start off with bad energy, it ends with bad energy.”
George has struggled throughout his first year back in the Eastern Conference. He totaled 41 games for the Sixers, averaging 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists. Philadelphia will need far more from him throughout the 2025-26 campaign. Otherwise, the decision to acquire the nine-time All-Star will look like a disaster.
Sixers Could Re-Tool Via the NBA Draft
Doncic may be off the board, but the Sixers do project to have a top-five pick in the upcoming draft. In a recent mock draft from Yahoo Sports’ Kevin O’Connor, the Sixers selected Duke big man Khaman Maluach.
“Maluach is a towering rim protector with switchable mobility, erasing shots at the rim and shadowing quick guards on the perimeter,” O’Connor wrote. “But beyond dunking lobs, he’s a work in progress on offense with a lack of seasoning as a screener, shooter and creator”
O’Connor continued.
“…He’s making immense progress though this March for Duke and has played himself into the top-five conversation. The Sixers selecting him would operate as both a hedge against the health of Joel Embiid, but also as a supporting piece alongside him since the Sixers need frontcourt depth and they could share the floor together.”
Adding a young, high-motor big man could be a smart decision for Philadelphia. After all, their frontcourt was an overall letdown this season. Of course, finding another scoring wing or guard could also be a direction Daryl Morey chooses to take. Whatever happens, the Sixers must find a way to improve. Otherwise, a full-scale rebuild could be on the horizon.
Could the Sixers Have Pulled Off a Blockbuster Trade for Luka Doncic?