Shedding Paul George’s massive salary could solve Philadelphia’s lack of depth, but sacrificing valuable draft capital to dump his contract may cripple the franchise's long-term championship pursuit.
The Philadelphia 76ers should be open to trading Paul George.
That does not mean they should force it.
FanSided recently proposed a long-shot trade that would send George to the Chicago Bulls, with Philadelphia getting back useful depth pieces such as Patrick Williams, Isaac Okoro, Jalen Smith, and Tre Jones. On the surface, the structure makes some sense. The Sixers would break one massive contract into several smaller rotation pieces, while Chicago would absorb George’s deal and receive draft compensation for doing so.
This is a solid trade with a good reason behind it.
Philadelphia badly needs depth. That has been one of the biggest problems with the roster since the team committed so much money to Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and George. If the Sixers could turn George into multiple players who help fill real rotation holes, it would be worth discussing. Williams gives some potential defensive upside. Okoro brings defensive toughness. Smith adds frontcourt depth. Jones would be a useful backup guard.
That part of the proposal is not the issue.
The issue is the cost.
George’s contract is bad. There is no way around that. He is entering his age-36 season, has dealt with injuries, and is set to make more than $54 million next year, with a player option worth more than $56 million after that.
But a bad contract does not automatically mean Philadelphia should attach meaningful draft capital just to move him.
George is not unplayable. He still averaged 17.3 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 3.6 assists this season. He can still shoot, defend in spots, and provide veteran scoring when healthy. The issue isn't that he doesn't bring value. The problem is that his value does not match his salary.
The Sixers need to treat draft picks with more care. If they are trying to build around Maxey and VJ Edgecombe long term, they need cost-controlled talent. If they are trying to contend around Embiid, they still need cheap contributors because the top of the roster is so expensive. Either way, giving away picks just to move George could create another problem later.
Join The 76ersRoundtable
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.
Wes Dixon is a contributing writer to 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached at [email protected].
