As teams are making their final pitches to the Milwaukee Bucks about a potential Giannis Antetokounmpo trade prior to Thursday’s deadline, one club that doesn’t appear to be in the mix is the Philadelphia 76ers.
Per The Athletic’s Tony Jones, the “indications are that all is quiet” as far the Sixers connection to Antetokounmpo is concerned.
ESPN’s Shams Charania reported on Monday that the Bucks were submitting counteroffers to teams that have been ” aggressively seeking” to trade for Antetokounmpo.
Charania has cited the Golden State Warriors, Minnesota Timberwolves and Miami Heat as clubs that have made offers to Milwaukee, which is seeking a package of “young, bluechip talent and/or a surplus of draft picks” for the two-time NBA MVP.
Sixers star Joel Embiid recently expressed his hope that the front office “would think about improving because I believe we have a chance.”
It’s unclear how much, if at all, Philadelphia’s deadline approach changed over the weekend after the NBA announced that Paul George has been suspended 25 games for violating the NBA/NBPA anti-drug program.
The 76ers do have a young blue-chip talent in VJ Edgecombe they could include in a trade for Antetokounmpo, but all indications at this point is the club is not interested in dealing the 20-year-old rookie.
George would almost certainly have to be included in any deal the Sixers might try to put together for Antetokounmpo for salary matching, but there would seem to be very little upside for the Bucks in taking on the remainder of George’s contract that includes a $54.1 million salary next season and a $56.6 million player option for 2027-28.
There’s also an argument that the 76ers don’t need to break up this current core right now because they seem to have a good thing going. They have won five straight games, their longest streak since April 2024.
Embiid, Edgecombe and Tyrese Maxey is an extremely talented trio. They will also get George back into the fold before the end of the regular season.
Philadelphia (29-21) has climbed up to sixth in the Eastern Conference standings. It trails Toronto and Cleveland by one game in the win column for fourth entering play on Wednesday.