Sign Paul George? Trade for Jimmy Butler? Here are 9 wing targets for Philadelphia 76ers
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey wasn't shy in his end-of-season press conference about the team's needs alongside All-Stars Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey to contend for a championship.
"I would say the biggest need is not at their position — someone at the wing who can play and deliver at a high level in the playoffs," Morey said in early May.
The Sixers are strapped with cap space and assets to build around Embiid and Maxey. With that in mind, here are nine players Morey could target via trade or free agency.
Paul George
Los Angeles Clippers forward Paul George has a $48 million player option for the 2024-25 season and will have to opt out to become an unrestricted free agent. If that happens, George will likely become the No. 1 target for the Sixers.
George isn't the player he was when he initially joined the Clippers, but the 34-year-old would fit in seamlessly in Philadelphia's starting lineup alongside Embiid and Maxey.
There are plenty of concerns in signing George, including his injury history -- he's only played at least 70 games in a season once over the past five seasons -- and his playoff shortcomings. But he also might be the best bet in making the Sixers the top team in the East and would allow them to hold onto their other assets.
ESPN reported the Sixers will offer George a max contract if he opts out.
LeBron James
Before LeBron James left Cleveland for a second time and darted west to Los Angeles, the Sixers met with his agent, Rich Paul.
If James declines his $51 million player option, the Sixers will likely try to schedule a meeting with James actually in attendance.
James is one year from 40, but he's still playing at an extremely high level. He also has a relationship with Maxey because he is signed to Klutch Sports Group and has spoken highly of the Sixers' guard.
Maybe the Sixers will try and draft his son, Bronny James, in the 2024 NBA draft to increase their chances of signing the NBA's all-time leading scorer. Only time will tell, but LeBron James chasing a ring in Philly alongside Embiid and Maxey would be as electric as it gets.
Jimmy Butler
Will Heat forward Jimmy Butler and Embiid reunite this offseason after spending one season together in 2018-19? The only way that could happen is if Miami president Pat Riley decides to trade the polarizing forward. Right now, Riley said he's not.
Early in May, Riley told reporters Butler should've kept his "mouth shut" when the Heat forward said Miami would've eliminated the Boston Celtics and New York Knicks if he wasn't sidelined with a knee injury.
A three-team deal would likely be the best bet for the Sixers to get a trade done with the Heat, but it would be expensive and Philly might have to extend Butler.
Butler fits the description of a wing who can deliver in the playoffs. He's been to two NBA Finals since heading to South Beach, but he's 34 years old and has only played at least 64 regular-season games once since 2018.
ESPN reported the Sixers are a team to watch if Butler becomes available.
Kevin Durant
Phoenix Suns forward Kevin Durant is another wing the Sixers could target if he asks for a trade.
Durant hasn't been shy about asking for a trade before, and he was unhappy with his role on the team last season, according to The Athletic.
The Suns fired Frank Vogel and replaced him with Mike Budenholzer, so maybe that's enough to get Durant to stay around.
Durant is about to enter year three of a four-year deal that started before the 2022-23 season. He's set to become an unrestricted free agent before the 2026-27 season.
Durant is 35 years old and is another target with an injury history, but he would pair nicely alongside Embiid and Maxey.
Brandon Ingram
New Orleans Pelicans forward Brandon Ingram is one of the younger wing targets the Sixers could pursue this offseason, but the 26-year-old has only made one All-Star team in his eight-year career.
Ingram is extension-eligible this offseason, but the Pelicans reportedly want to trade him.
ESPN reported the Sixers are also interested in trading for Ingram.
Pascal Siakam
The Toronto Raptors dealt forward Pascal Siakam to the Pacers in January ahead of the NBA trade deadline, and he's helped Indiana reach the Eastern Conference Finals against the Boston Celtics.
Siakam, an unrestricted free agent at the end of the season, will likely re-sign with the Pacers, but he did win a title with Sixers head coach Nick Nurse on the Raptors in 2019.
DeMar DeRozan
DeMar DeRozan is 35 years old, but is still a prolific scorer, especially from the mid-range.
DeRozan likely wouldn't be a top option for Philly and has expressed he'd like to stay with the Chicago Bulls, but if things don't work out, maybe the Sixers could get involved.
DeRozan played for the Raptors while Nurse was an assistant coach with the team.
OG Anunoby
Like Siakam, OG Anunoby is another former Raptors player who played under Nurse in Toronto.
Anunoby has a $19 million player option for the 2024-25 season, which he could opt out of, but he'll likely remain with the New York Knicks following a strong postseason.
Mikal Bridges
The Sixers had Mikal Bridges -- until they didn't. The previous 76ers regime drafted Bridges with the No. 10 overall pick in 2018, only to trade him later in the night to the Phoenix for a package that landed former Texas Tech University guard Zhaire Smith and a 2021 first-round pick that was used to land Tobias Harris from the Clippers.
Since then, Bridges has developed into one of the better wings in the league while playing for the Suns and Brooklyn Nets.
But, the asking price for the 27-year-old Philly native will be extremely high.
According to The Athletic, the Houston Rockets offered a trade package for Bridges that included multiple-first-round picks but the Nets had no interest in moving the Villanova product.
