The Philadelphia 76ers have emerged as one of the top candidates to pull of a potential Kevin Durant trade in the 2025 offseason. According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, rival teams expect the 76ers to explore trade opportunities for All-Stars such as Durant and Lauri Markkanen by attaching Paul George to the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft.
“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,” Giovny wrote on May 19.
“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.”
In light of the report, former 76ers forward Marcus Morris Sr. has urged the team to avoid Durant.
Too Much Roster Shuffling?
Morris argued that the 76ers were better off waiting for Joel Embiid to regain full fitness rather than shipping away their No. 3 pick for Durant.
“I’m just tired of the Sixers trying to do so much,” Morris told ESPN’s “Get Up” on May 20. “You’ve already switched guys in and out of the roster. You just had James Harden, now you got Paul George. Are you going to bring Kevin Durant next? What happens if that doesn’t work? Now, what’s the conversation?
“Let’s get a healthy Embiid — let’s focus on that instead of going to get a guy like Kevin Durant when you’ve seen what happened in Phoenix,” Morris advised the 76ers.
ESPN’s Alan Hahn argued that Embiid’s compromised health should give the 76ers cause to pause and force them to keep the No. 3 pick.
“They are stuck with [Embiid’s] contract,” he said. “Giving up the three pick? You’re going to give away a future core like that just to chase a championship for Embiid? That makes no sense.”
Avoid a Kevin Durant Trade?
Morris isn’t the only one who feels the 76ers would be better off giving Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and George another year together.
Liberty Ballers’ Josh Grieb made a similar argument upon hearing the chatter of a potential Kevin Durant trade to the 76ers. Grieb argued that the East will be weaker in 2025-26 season due to Jayson Tatum’s injury, but not weak enough for the 76ers to overcome the challenges posed by the Pacers, Knicks and Cavaliers.
“Despite a wide open conference that was already weak to begin with, the Sixers aren’t in a position to go all in again,” he wrote on May 19.
“That is why acquiring Durant would also be a mistake. Swapping him for Paul George would undoubtedly be an upgrade while getting off the hook for paying PG three more seasons, but it wouldn’t improve the Sixers’ chances enough to make it worthwhile.
“As was demonstrated by the Suns being unable to even make the play-in last year, the 36-year-old Durant showed he’s not capable of carrying a team the way he once was. Embiid’s ability to do the same is obviously in doubt, and Maxey has yet to show he can rise to that level.”
To Grieb’s point, Durant could not help the Suns make the NBA play-in, let alone the NBA playoffs, in the 2024-25 season.
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