The Philadelphia 76ers’ season has been anything but predictable. As the regular season concludes, questions are being asked about the future of Paul George.
George’s Resurgence and Trade Potential
Following a 25-game suspension, Paul George has shown a resurgence, appearing more agile than he has in the past two seasons with the Sixers. This has led to speculation about whether this improved performance could make him a tradable asset during the offseason.
In NBA terms, ‘tradable’ can mean two things: either a player has a positive value, bringing a meaningful return, or a team can offload the player to solve a problem. However, despite George’s recent form, trading him might be difficult.
George will be 36 in a few weeks and is set to earn over $54.1 million in 2026-27, followed by a player option worth over $56.5 million the next season. If he plays the remaining 10 games as planned, he will have participated in 78 of 164 regular-season games since joining Philadelphia.
Concerns Over Availability and Contract
The challenge isn’t just justifying George’s salary based on his output. He is projected to be the 11th-highest-paid player in the NBA next season. Even with strong performances, matching that price point is a significant challenge.
A major concern for potential teams is George’s availability. His history of injuries and a suspension raise doubts about whether he will be worth his contract. Teams may be hesitant to pay such a high price, exceeding $110 million over two seasons, if he cannot play consistently.
Many teams will be skeptical that George would be worth his price tag if he played 70 games in a season.
Potential Rerouting of George
Could George’s recent performances make it easier for the Sixers to trade him, possibly in exchange for other unwanted salary? It would certainly help.
It is not just that a team could not sell itself and its fans on George’s production matching his salary.
One of the best parts of covering this team is engaging with passionate fans. And, every week, readers have answered calls for questions for Sixers mailbags. While this will be the final mailing of this regular season, they will persist – not just for however long the Sixers keep their postseason alive, but every single week.