A Philadelphia 76ers reporter gives his take on if Paul George could have real trade value this offseason.
Since returning from his 25-game suspension, Philadelphia 76ers star forward Paul George has been on a tear.
He is averaging 24.4 points, 6.1 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.9 steals on 48% shooting and 46.9% shooting from three-point range in seven games played post-suspension. Despite returning to All-Star form in recent weeks, George is still widely regarded as having one of the NBA's worst contracts. He is in the second season of a four-year, $211 million contract.
Given George is nearing age 36 and his lack of availability the last two seasons, many wonder if Philadelphia would entertain the idea of moving him potentially as soon as this offseason. 76ers analyst Adam Aaronson weighed in on if George would have serious trade value amid his post-suspension surge.
"Even as George shines in the aftermath of his 25-game suspension – looking far more spry and healthy than he has in nearly two full seasons with the Sixers – it remains just difficult to imagine him having trade value," Aaronson wrote. "...The bigger issue teams will have: selling themselves on George being available enough to pay off his contract."
The reality is the 76ers likely wouldn't get much return value in a trade involving George. The combination of his age, contract, lack of availability, and overall subpar production will deter many organizations from even entertaining a deal for the nine-time All-Star.
The bright side for Philadelphia is there's a possibility he continues to perform at this level into the postseason and even the 2026-2027 campaign. If that's the case, the team could be viewed as a serious contender next season.
Health is the No. 1 roadblock preventing the 76ers from being a true contender in the Eastern Conference. If Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and George manage to stay on the floor for the majority of the season, serious noise could be made by the 76ers, especially if the latest of the three continues at this level of production.
Join The 76ersRoundtable Community
Head over to the 76ersRoundtable page and hit the "Join" button under the featured story... it's completely FREE! You'll have the opportunity to engage with other 76ers fans who live and breathe the team, share your thoughts on the organization, and more. If you're asked to sign up or download the Roundtable app... that's free too.
Anthony Pasciolla is the publisher of 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached via email at ampasciolla@gmail.com or followed on X @AnthonyPasci.