Durant finished the season with stats of 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game.
Image Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
As the 2024-25 season is approaching its end, the rumors of multiple players getting involved in postseason trades have been making rounds all over the place. As per a latest report, the Philadelphia 76ers are likely to show interest in Phoenix Suns superstar Kevin Durant or Utah Jazz’s Lauri Markkanen. The Sixers own the third pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. They are likely to swap the pick and their star Paul George with an aim to build a strong roster.
A report by ESPN NBA insider Jeremy Woo stated, “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.” It added, “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 Sixers could target Kevin Durant or Lauri Markkanen with a package that includes Paul George and the No. 3 pick, per @JeremyWoo & @DraftExpress
“Some teams expect the Sixers to be active in trade conversations, with names such as Kevin Durant(Phoenix) and Lauri Markkanen… pic.twitter.com/JpQ5s7bSVx
— NBACentral (@TheDunkCentral) May 19, 2025
Notably, Durant had been in trade talks all throughout the season. Despite maintaining a solid average and finishing the season with stats of 26.6 points, 6.0 rebounds, and 4.2 assists per game, the Suns struggled to have a decent run. The side recorded 36 wins and 46 losses, which got them 11th position in the Western Conference.
On the other hand, George finished his first season of a four-year deal worth $211 million with the 76ers as a free agent last summer. However, his trade shouldn’t come as a shock since the nine-time All-Star finished with a below-par average. He recorded16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, and 4.3 assists per game in the 2024-25 season.
Philadelphia 76ers Expected to Pick Ace Bailey During NBA Draft 2025
The 76ers, who finished the season with 13th position in the standings and a 24-58 record, won the No. 3 pick during the NBA Draft Lottery 2025. As per multiple reports, the team is expected to draft Ace Bailey during the 2025 Draft. ESPN’s Woo and Jonathan Givony also selected him for the Sixers at No. 3 during their two-round mock draft.
George, who played only 41 games this past season due to multiple injuries, commented about the possibilities and said that drafting Bailey could be exciting for the team. George earlier spoke on ‘Podcast P and said, “I think he has big-time potential, he has big-time talent.”
He added, “He can score from any spot on the floor, he has an isolation game, which you don’t see that often in kids that size, that early. He can make plays, he can shoot over top of defenses, he can take advantage of mismatches.” George added, “He can handle the ball in pick and rolls. He can catch-and-shoot, he can defend.”
Bailey, in his freshman season with Rutgers Scarlet Knights, averaged 17.6 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.3 assists per game this past season. However, the 76ers are expected to select him only with the intention of trading him immediately.
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