Mike Gansey is working on making a strong first impression on Philadelphia 76ers star Joel Embiid this offseason.
After Embiid went public with his frustration aimed at the old front office regime, there is pressure on Gansey to make it all right. Could one of Gansey’s first orders of business be a trade to reunite Joel Embiid with his college teammate?
There’s a hypothetical proposal out there worth considering.
76ers Trade Proposal Reunites Joel Embiid With College Teammate
Adam Aaaronson of The Philly Voice recently put together a mock trade, which involves a total of three teams, including the Sixers.
In the hypothetical idea, Aaronson suggests the Sixers could get out of the Paul George business by playing facilitator for the San Antonio Spurs and the Miami Heat to move De’Aaron Fox.
The Sixers would simply give up George. In return, they could land a combination of Andrew Wiggins and Davion Mitchell or Nikola Jovic, while the Heat take on Fox. This mock move is crafted with the idea of the Heat missing out on Giannis Antetokounmpo.
Andrew Wiggins’ NBA History
There was once a time when Sixers fans hoped to win the 2014 NBA Draft Lottery in order to end up with Wiggins at No. 1. Instead, the Sixers won the third pick and selected Joel Embiid, who dropped to three due to a foot injury.
Wiggins was the Rookie of the Year for the Minnesota Timberwolves at 19 years old in 2014-2015. He spent six seasons with the Wolves, averaging 19.7 points.
After the run in Minnesota, Wiggins ended up on the Golden State Warriors for a six-year run. He averaged 16.7 points and 4.7 rebounds with the Warriors, contributing to a successful NBA Championship run in 2022.
During the 2024-2025 season, Wiggins was traded to the Heat. He appeared in 68 games during his first and only full season with the Heat. Wiggins produced averages of 15.4 points, 4.8 rebounds, and 2.7 assists.
Wiggins has a $30.1 million player option looming. He has until June 29 to make his decision.
Fair Trade For Philly?
It depends on the new front office’s opinion of Paul George.
You would have a hard time finding anybody who says that the Paul George contract is a good one for the Sixers.
After signing on for four years, $211.5 million, George has made a massive amount while playing in fewer than 50% of the Sixers’ games over the past two seasons.
The Sixers could be on the hook for over $50.0 million in each of the next two seasons for Paul George.
With the Sixers, George is shooting 37.5% from three, averaging 16.7 points per game. It’s the first time he has averaged fewer than 20 points per game since 2014.
With Wiggins ($30.1 million over one year if picked up) and Mitchell ($12.4 million over one season), the Sixers don’t have to commit long-term. They would get instant contributors, with the option of extending, while getting off of Paul George’s contract.
The bonus is that the Sixers would get a Joel Embiid guy in Wiggins, as they have a strong relationship dating back to their Kansas days.