ESPN released its latest NBA mock draft Monday morning, and according to Jonathan Givony, there’s speculation around the league that the Sixers could attempt to flip the third overall pick and Paul George for another star.
After mocking Rutgers star wing Ace Bailey to the Sixers with the third pick, Givony details some chatter he’s heard around the league:
“Some teams expect the Sixers to be active in trade conversations, with names such as Kevin Durant (Phoenix) and Lauri Markkanen (Utah) as potential targets in packages that could include Paul George and the No. 3 pick. Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has made a career of being active and aggressive on the trade front, but historically, it’s rare to see a top-three pick being traded.”
The two names Givony gave as speculative examples are noteworthy. Fifteen-time All-Star Kevin Durant seems all but traded by the Phoenix Suns after their big three experiment has been nothing short of a failure. Meanwhile, 28-year-old All-Star Lauri Markkanen, as is the case with any in a Danny Ainge organization, has been consistently available for a king’s ransom.
Both players seem as though they would fit like a glove in this currently constructed team. Still, as Givony notes, it’s rare for a top-three pick to be dealt, happening just 13 times over the past 25 years. The Ringer’s Howard Beck has also gone on the record to report that the Sixers will look to keep the pick.
It’s important to note that this is conceptual talk based on expectations of teams around the league. Many of whom are familiar with Daryl Morey’s habits. We’re just a year removed from Morey calling the Lakers about LeBron James. It’s clear that Morey will both make and take calls as he always has, as any front office manager worth their weight would do. Still, there’s a lot that must be accomplished between taking a call and making a trade.
As far as the value of the deal, Kevin Durant’s far exceeds Paul George’s after last season. Despite Phoenix’s nightmare season, Durant finished the year averaging 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists. It’s clear he can still play and at a high level at that. Durant is entering the final year of a $194 million deal and will be entering his age-37 season this year. While his expiring deal is attractive in contrast to the max deal the Sixers signed Paul George to, it is highly likely that Durant will seek a max extension at his next landing spot upon his arrival.
To potentially lose the third overall pick and wind up with nothing after next season is concerning. To attach yourself to a player who has admittedly aged gracefully but is still closer to 40 than 30 could be end-of-an-era level of devastation, something the team is already dealing with in the Joel Embiid situation.
In terms of talent, Laurie Markkanen does not compare to Kevin Durant, but he is a far better fit in terms of timeline. Entering his age-28 season this Fall, Markkanen is theoretically in the midst of his prime, though he admittedly is coming off of his worst season in years.
There’s little in terms of savings moving George for Markkanen. Last offseason, the Jazz extended Markkanen, signing him to a new four-year, $195 million deal that kicks in this upcoming season. While it’s arguably a deal with a higher positive value than George’s, it’s not exactly a no-brainer after Markkanen’s down year.
While it’s not crazy to suggest that Daryl Morey could, should, or would take and make calls on the third pick in the upcoming draft, it would be surprising to see him sell so low on George and move off an asset like the third overall pick with such recklessness.
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