The Philadelphia 76ers have been actively working to build a championship-caliber team around All-Star center Joel Embiid. This offseason, they made a significant move by signing Paul George while staying under the second apron of the luxury tax.
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In addition, they were exploring further options to solidify their status as serious contenders. On the Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast, 76ers general manager Daryl Morey revealed that they nearly completed another blockbuster trade after signing George. He mentioned, “There was a trade shortly after Paul arrived, which would have required us to give up several picks. Our payroll would have been $315 million next season.”
Although Morey did not specify the other parties involved in the potential trade, there is speculation it involved the Utah Jazz and their All-Star forward Lauri Markkanen. The 76ers were rumored to be interested in acquiring Markkanen via trade.
Adding Markkanen to a lineup with Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and George would have made the 76ers one of the most talented teams in the league. His skillset would complement the other three players well. However, trading for Markkanen would require the 76ers to part with multiple draft picks to meet the Jazz’s demands. The Jazz have been shopping Markkanen throughout the offseason but have yet to find the right mix of picks and young talent.
If the trade had gone through, it would have had significant financial implications for the 76ers, not only adding another star to their roster but also preventing other contenders from acquiring him.
