It has been a solid season thus far for the Philadelphia 76ers as they currently find themselves sitting sixth in the Eastern Conference standings with a 25-21 record.
Most of the 76ers’ success this season has come due to their start trio of Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George as they have Philadelphia looking like one of the top teams in the East.
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Philadelphia 76ers center Joel Embiid (21) and guard Tyrese Maxey (0)© Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
(© Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)
Of course, Philadelphia’s success down the line will depend on the health of Embiid and George due to their injury history, though both have been able to stay healthy for most of this season which has been a key piece to the team’s success.
While the 76ers have had a solid season thus far, they may look to upgrade their roster ahead of the February 5 NBA trade deadline to try and compete for a title this season.
76ers May Target Bucks’ Giannis Antetokounmpo After Latest Report
While Philadelphia may target multiple players ahead of the trade deadline to bolster their depth, they may also elect to make a blockbuster move for another star player.
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Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis Antetokounmpo (34)© Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images
(© Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images)
One player they may target is Milwaukee Bucks star Giannis Antetokounmpo as he is expected to be traded after ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Wednesday that he is ready to move on from Milwaukee and that the Bucks are listening to offers.
On Thursday, The Stein Line’s Jake Fischer reported that the 76ers are on Giannis’ radar due to him wanting to team up with Maxey.
With Fischer’s report, Philadelphia may try to acquire the two-time MVP at the trade deadline, though it may cost them one of their key young players.
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Mock Trade Sends Paul George, V.J. Edgecombe to Bucks for Giannis
In a potential trade, the 76ers could send a package of George, V.J. Edgecombe and multiple first-round picks to the Bucks in exchange for Giannis.
Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8)© Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
(© Kyle Ross-Imagn Images)
Of course, this trade would cost Philadelphia a ton as they would have to move on from George due to salary reasons and with Milwaukee wanting a key young player in return, they would likely have to include Edgecombe, which could be a tough decision as he has shown flashes of being a future star for the 76ers.
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Philadelphia 76ers guard VJ Edgecombe (77)Bill Streicher-Imagn Images
(Bill Streicher-Imagn Images)
While the 76ers may not want to include Edgecombe, swapping him and George for Giannis could make Philadelphia the team to beat in the East in the second half of this season.
For Giannis, he would provide the 76ers with an elite scorer and defender alongside Embiid, Maxey and the rest of their core.
This season, the 31-year-old superstar is averaging 28.0 points, 10.0 rebounds and 5.6 assists per game while shooting 64.5% from the field and 39.5% from three.
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Milwaukee Bucks forward Giannis AntetokounmpoRobert Edwards-Imagn Images
(Robert Edwards-Imagn Images)
The two-time MVP would give the 76ers a major boost at both ends of the court that could turn them into one of the title favorites this season alongside Embiid and Maxey, though a potential deal would be a major risk for Philadelphia.
This is due to Giannis’ injury history and the fact that he is currently sidelined with a calf strain that is expected to sideline him at least four weeks and with them already dealing with Embiid’s injury woes, they may not want to pair the two alongside each other.
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Edgecombe may also become a dealbreaker for the 76ers in a potential trade as they may view him as a key piece of their future, which may cause Philadelphia to look elsewhere to upgrade their roster to try and make a deep playoff run this season.
This story was originally published by Athlon Sports on Jan 29, 2026, where it first appeared in the NBA section. Add Athlon Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.