Could Paul George be a potential trade target for the Denver Nuggets this offseason?
The Philadelphia 76ers trading Paul George this offseason feels unlikely, but isn't entirely out of the realm of possibilities.
The main reason the Sixers would be looking to move on from George is because he simply isn't performing at the level he's being paid. The 36-year-old is set to make $54.1 million for the 2026-2027 season and has a player option worth $56.5 million for the 2027-2028 campaign.
One team that could use some additional star power after falling short in the first round of the NBA Playoffs is the Denver Nuggets. They lost to Anthony Edwards and the Minnesota Timberwolves in six games.
Below is a trade idea created by Roundtable's Anthony Pasciolla that would send George to Denver:
76ers receive: Aaron Gordon, Cameron Johnson
Nuggets receive: Paul George
Let's first discuss the financial piece of this trade.
Johnson is entering the final season of a four-year, $94.5 million contract while Gordon has a potential three seasons remaining on his three-year, $103.6 million deal. This means they are earning a combined roughly $54.9 million next season, so the money matches with George's contract.
The Nuggets agree to this trade in order to form a 'Big Three' with the longstanding duo of Jamal Murray and Nikola Jokic. By adding George to the mix, Denver would add star power, a lockdown defender, and a solid secondary scorer. With the Nuggets desperately seeking to win another championship with Jokic at the helm, there shouldn't be much concern over George's hefty salary.
For Philadelphia, the motivation to agree to this deal is equally as obvious. The front office frees itself of his ugly contract while adding two strong starters to the mix.
Johnson had a rough first year in Denver, averaging just 12.2 points on 48% shooting, but the year prior he recorded 18.8 points per game. Gordon missed a significant amount of time during the regular season, but when on the floor, he tallied 16.2 points per game on 49.7% shooting.
The Sixers would be able to roll out a starting lineup of Tyrese Maxey, V.J. Edgecombe, Johnson, Gordon, and Joel Embiid, while potentially retaining Kelly Oubre Jr. and Quentin Grimes to lead the second unit.
Depth was a serious problem for the 76ers in their second-round series against the New York Knicks, and this trade has the potential to solve that issue.
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Anthony Pasciolla is the publisher of 76ersRoundtable. He can be reached via email at [email protected] or followed on X @AnthonyPasci.
