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15 hours ago
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It's a bit of an understatement to say Paul George had a disappointing first season with the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 2025 campaign was so underwhelming for George that many are already creating trade ideas that will send the nine-time All-Star out of Philadelphia. This includes ClutchPoints' Julian Ojeda, who predicts the 76ers could swap George for Sacramento Kings guard Zach LaVine.
"The Philadelphia 76ers have had one of the most disappointing seasons in 2024-25. The 76ers were aggressive last offseason, signing Paul George to a four-year, $212 million deal. However, the move didn’t pay off," Ojeda wrote. "With George’s age and decline in production, the Sixers could consider moving him and taking a chance on LaVine."
The article then outlined the hypothetical deal:
Sixers receive: LaVine
Kings receive: George, a 2028 first-round pick, a 2029 first-round pick (Los Angeles Clippers swap rights), and a 2028 second-round pick
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George averaged 16.2 points on 43% shooting in 2025, which is his lowest per-game total since 2015, when he only appeared in six games. Meanwhile, LaVine split his time between the Chicago Bulls and Sacramento Kings last season, averaging 23.3 points on 51.1% shooting in 74 games.
It's clear LaVine is the superior player at the current stages of their careers, but dealing a pair of first-round picks is incredibly risky. If the acquisition of LaVine fails, chances are Joel Embiid and potentially Tyrese Maxey will be gone by 2028, putting the Sixers in a horrible position. Alternatively, this addition could lead to Philadelphia hoisting the Larry O'Brien Trophy for the first time in more than four decades.
If he's not already on the hot seat, team president Daryl Morey would be putting his job on the line with this trade idea.
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