Report: Some NBA Teams Think 76ers Could Trade No. 3 Pick for Another Star

One of the lesser storylines surrounding the shocking outcome of this year's NBA draft lottery was the great luck of the Philadelphia 76ers. Philly finished with the fifth-worst record in the league after an unexpectedly disastrous season, and if their pick landed outside the top six, they would have to give it to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Instead, the Sixers enjoyed good fortune and moved all the way up to the No. 3 pick.

This obviously keeps them out of the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes but still high enough to land a potential blue-chip talent, with names like Ace Bailey and V.J. Edgecomb widely expected to be in the running for the selection. But Philadelphia, in more of a win-now mode than most of the other teams picking in the lottery, could use the pick for something more drastic.

On Monday, NBA draft insiders Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo reported "some teams" believe the 76ers could try to package the No. 3 pick with Paul George to acquire another star to join the Joel Embiid-Tyrese Maxey core. Givony and Woo name Kevin Durant and Lauri Markkanen as two potential targets should that be the direction Philly chooses.

"Some teams expect the Sixers to be active in trade conversations, with names such as Kevin Durant (Phoenix) and Lauri Markkanen (Utah) as potential targets in packages that could include Paul George and the No. 3 pick," the article stated. "Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has made a career of being active and aggressive on the trade front, but historically, it's rare to see a top-three pick being traded."

George just finished his first season in Philadelphia after signing a four-year deal worth $211 million as a free agent last summer. However, it was such a catastrophe it wouldn't serve as a shock to see the Sixers trade him. The 35-year-old averaged 16.2 points per game and missed half the season with various injuries; it was the first season since 2014-15 in which he failed to average at least 20 points per contest. There's reason to believe he may bounce back with Philly's snake-bitten 2024-25 season fully behind the organization but GM Daryl Morey can't make any significant changes to the roster without including George's $51 million salary.

Of course, Philadelphia can always stand pat. The franchise hasn't been this high in the draft order since taking Markelle Fultz with the first pick in 2017. Should the Sixers hit on this pick they could find the next cornerstone to play alongside Maxey once Embiid is done, while adding a quality young player to the current core that is theoretically capable of contending for championships right now.

There are many potential choices for the 76ers as the draft approaches on June 25.