Jazz Insider: Sixers ‘interested in trading down’ in 2025 NBA Draft if they can get off Paul George contract

We’re deep into draft season. With the NBA Finals wrapping up, teams are shifting focus and gearing up for the June 25 draft. Rumors have been flying about potential targets, trade-ups, and even trade-down scenarios.

What we haven’t heard much about, until now, is any connection between the Sixers’ Big 3 and those discussions.

That changed recently when Andy Larsen of the Salt Lake Tribune joined the Locked On Jazz podcast to discuss Utah’s draft strategy. During the episode, several ideas and pieces of intel were brought up, including one that involves the Philadelphia 76ers.

Here’s what Larsen had to say about the buzz he’s been hearing:

I do think it’s true that the Philadelphia 76ers are interested in trading down to No.5, potentially, if they can get off the Paul George deal. I don’t think necessarily that may not make sense for the Jazz given how long that contract is and how iffy Paul George was. I don’t think the Jazz are going to take that offer. But I do think that’s an offer that’s been presented.

There’s been plenty of discussion about the Sixers potentially moving up or down in the draft, and it’s clear the team is doing its due diligence. But the idea of using a top-three pick as part of a deal to move off Paul George’s contract introduces a new wrinkle.

On one hand, moving off George’s contract would create significant long-term flexibility. He’s owed over $160 million across the next three seasons, assuming he picks up his player option at the end of the deal. That’s a steep commitment for any player, especially one in his mid-30s approaching the twilight of his career.

On the other hand, this would be a tough sell to Sixers fans based on optics alone. Just a year ago, the team passed on other opportunities and prioritized cap space to land George in free agency. Now, they’d be using a top-three pick just to unload the contract of their marquee addition? That’s a hard pivot, and one that would raise serious questions about the plan in place.

It’s also important to weigh this within the context of the 2025 draft class. Around the league, many evaluators see the talent tier from picks 3 through 6 or 7 as relatively even. If the Sixers have a strong preference for a player projected to go in the lower half of that range, it could make sense to shed salary while still landing a prospect they like. Names like Kon Knueppel and Tre Johnson would likely be in play — both of whom have solid followings among draft watchers and fans alike.

Larsen — who’s well connected when it comes to all things Utah Jazz — did pour some cold water on the idea toward the end of his remarks. Still, a framework like this could make some sense for a team like Utah. There’s a growing sense of impatience among Jazz fans, with the rebuild dragging on and little tangible progress to show for it. A deal like this could give them a real shot at landing a prospect like VJ Edgecombe or another player from that tier-three group, while also acquiring George, an aging but still impactful player. And with Austin Ainge now steering the front office, it doesn’t seem like there’s much appetite for another full-scale reset.

Cold water aside, what else might the Sixers get in a potential deal like this? Beyond draft capital, a simple and realistic framework could center around Collin Sexton and John Collins.

Yes, Sexton is another small guard — cue the eye-rolls — but he’d bring instant scoring punch off the bench. Collins, meanwhile, had something of a resurgence last season, averaging 19 points and 8.2 rebounds while shooting nearly 40% from three. He could be a theoretical ideal fit at the four next to Embiid, offering a mix of rebounding, athleticism, and floor spacing that the Sixers have long lacked at that spot.

While there’s still some uncertainty around how real the talks are, the concept itself is worth taking seriously. The idea of the Sixers using a top-three pick to reset their cap sheet while still landing a player they like — and adding proven contributors like Sexton and John Collins — could be a strategic pivot, not a step back. If the team sees the 2025 class as flat beyond the top two and prefers someone in that next tier, this kind of move might actually strengthen their roster and future flexibility. It may be a tough narrative to manage publicly, but from a basketball standpoint, it could be a smart play.

With the draft fast approaching, one thing is certain: the Sixers will have a range of diverse options to consider.