If one recent rumor is accurate, everything could change for the Philadelphia 76ers this offseason.
If the Philadelphia 76ers wanted, they could make one of the biggest splashes of the offseason with one bold move. However, I'm not sure how responsible it would be. Nevertheless, according to a recent report, the early word is that there is a sense around the league that the 76ers could use the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft to potentially explore an avenue toward trading for Kevin Durant or Lauri Markkanen.
The official speculation is that the 76ers would package Paul George (for salary purposes) and the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft to target KD or Markkanen, or another star player who could help push this team forward toward an NBA Championship. In theory, this does seem like an idea they should explore. If it's something the front office is serious about, it could change the outlook for the entire offseason for Philadelphia.
Should the 76ers play the short or long game with their supporting cast?
If this is even a package that a team like the Phoenix Suns or Utah Jazz would entertain remains to be seen. However, I'd suggest that the bigger question revolves around whether this would be a smart move for the 76ers moving forward. On one hand, this type of move could seem irresponsible considering the uncertainty revolving around Joel Embiid's health moving forward. On the other hand, it would be hard to blame the 76ers for wanting to go all-in on trying to surround Embiid with the best possible supporting cast.
Before this past season, in which Embiid was plagued by injuries, he was playing at an NBA MVP level. The 76ers simply didn't have a strong enough supporting cast to break through in the East. Taking another swing at targeting KD or Markkanen could be viewed as a move that could bring the final piece of a championship run onto the roster.
At the same time, it'd certainly be a huge risk considering the level of young talent the 76ers could seemingly land with this pick. Philadelphia would essentially be punting on that potential in hopes of winning a title in the next 2-3 years. Is that the smartest team-building move for the 76ers? I'm not sure. However, if they're not willing to cash in this asset to go all-in this summer, you can't help but wonder what that could mean for Embiid.
The 76ers have some big questions to answer this offseason, and, believe it or not, much of where this franchise is heading will be answered by their decision-making at the NBA Draft. One thing is for sure, no matter what the 76ers end up doing, and it's that everything could change for the franchise this summer.