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Would Mega-Deal For Paul George Have Been Worth The Haul For The Sixers?

By George Kondoleon

Nov 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Sergio Rodriguez (14) steals the ball from Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) during the third quarter of the game at the Wells Fargo Center. The Philadelphia 76ers won 109-105 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports
Nov 11, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Sergio Rodriguez (14) steals the ball from Indiana Pacers forward Paul George (13) during the third quarter of the game at the Wells Fargo Center. The Philadelphia 76ers won 109-105 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: John Geliebter-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Sixers reportedly made an offer for star Paul George, but would the haul for him have been worth it?

This trade season, the Sixers were active in multitudes of ways. They shipped Ersan Ilyasova and Nerlens Noel. But there was a deal that didn’t go through that would’ve had been one of the biggest trades the franchise has seen in a while. ESPN’s Zach Lowe reported that the Pacers at least “talked” to multiple teams about a trade for Paul George, including the Sixers.

The trade would have been a big one, even though George has previously laid out his desire to play for his hometown Los Angeles Lakers after his contract expired. This made the deal risky for many reasons, even without the package being laid out. Kyle Neubeck of Liberty Ballers reported that the “offered Indiana their choice of one of the Sixers’ young bigs, Robert Covington, and at least two first round picks for his services”.

This meant the Sixers would be giving up one of Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor, their best defender in Covington, and two first round picks. A hefty load, but one that’s worth it when it comes to Paul George. It was not known what exact picks were on the table, but Neubeck reported that the Sixers were unwilling to give up their own picks–rather the picks they amassed from the Lakers and Kings. Even then, it seemed like the Pacers were less serious about trading George.

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Still, it shows the Sixers wanted to push for a star trade. The debate rages on about how to use the assets. The Sixers could hold two first round picks this season, with four second round picks at their disposal as well. If the Lakers pick falls within the top three, Philadelphia will hold two picks in 2018. They also will have two picks in 2019 thanks to the trade with the Kings.

So, with all these picks at their disposal, the Sixers almost have to at least search for a mega deal. The Paul George deal had major risks, as all blockbuster deals, as the Sixers were risking George leaves after next season in free agency. The hope may have been that the team was willing to convince George about the team’s young promising talent that would grow into a championship caliber team, but with Joel Embiid out with a knee injury and Ben Simmons yet to play, it may have been hard sell.

While the George deal isn’t the most comforting, it shows the team is willing to give up draft picks and some highly valued assets for a star. Philadelphia is still hanging around the turning point of the rebuild, seemingly just a few healthy seasons and one more piece away from becoming a competitive playoff caliber team. The Sixers have an arsenal of assets that must be used soon. And the team won’t be able to bolster a roster full of future rookies with the pieces currently in place.

The deal would have been worth it. Even with the risk of George leaving, the experience the Sixers young talent would at the least learn from the star veteran. Also, George would be exposed to the culture the organization can give. George is the star who likes stability, so if Philadelphia believes they could persuade him to staying, it’s a risk they should take if the opportunity comes along in the future.

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The hunt for a star should be heating up for the Sixers. It shouldn’t be surprising to see the organization push for second-tier star to help push the team forward. The Sixers have building blocks, now all they need is an established star to help lead this rebuild towards a prominent run towards the top.