NBA Mock Trade: Sixers find Joel Embiid 37% 3-point shooting All-Star sidekick dumping Paul George 

Paul George had a disappointing campaign in what was his first season with the Philadelphia 76ers. He made just 41 appearances, averaging 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds and 4.3 assists per game while shooting 43.0% from the field (35.8% from 3). George picked up a couple of knee injuries that held him back from finding his footing in Philadelphia.

He later picked up a wrist issue, making his first season with the 76ers even tougher. At 35, George is on the decline. Which is concerning, considering he’s set to earn $51 million next season. His poor form combined with Joel Embiid’s absence saw Philadelphia finish 13th in the Eastern Conference.

Embiid’s monster contract makes him tough to move, so to be competitive, the 76ers might look to dump Paul George during the offseason. Let’s take a look at an NBA mock trade sending George and a pick to the Utah Jazz for Lauri Markkanen.

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NBA Mock Trade: Sixers move Paul George to pair 3-point shooting All-Star with Joel Embiid

The Utah Jazz had to endure another difficult campaign, finishing 15th in the Western Conference with the worst record in the league (17-65). After another disappointing campaign, Utah could be prepping to blow up its roster and begin rebuilding for the future.

It has some promising pieces in Lauri Markannen and John Collins that could easily land the team draft picks for the future.

Markannen shoots 37.1% from 3-point range for his career, averaging 18.2 points, 7.1 rebounds and 1.5 assists per game. On a team like Philadelphia, the one-time All-Star can become a solid third option behind Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.

Here’s an NBA mock trade involving Paul George and Lauri Markkanen.

Sixers receive:

• Lauri Markkanen
• Walker Kessler
• 2025 first-round pick (No. 21)

Jazz receive:

• Paul George
• 2025 first-round pick (No. 3)

This is a trade that works out for both teams. Moving George will provide much relief to the 76ers, who find themselves paying out a bad contract.

Lauri Markannen has all the tools needed to become a reliable option in Philadelphia. Meanwhile, Walker Kessler comes in as a solid backup center for Joel Embiid, who might not be able to play back-to-back games for the rest of his career.

On the other hand, the Jazz can select a solid prospect in the 2025 NBA Draft using Philadelphia’s No. 3 pick. Moving John Collins can also help the team land more draft picks and kick off a promising rebuilding period. Lastly, having a player of Paul George’s quality and experience can go a long way toward shaping the future in Utah.

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About the author

Sameer Khan

Sameer is an esports and gaming journalist at Sportskeeda who covers a diverse range of topics. He is currently pursuing a BSc degree from BITS, but his love for video games pushed him to pursue a gaming journalism career. He relies on diligent research and fact-checking to deliver top-notch content. He has previously worked in the hospitality sector with the Oberoi Group.

Sameer’s gaming journey began with Rockstar Games’ GTA franchise, specifically
Grand Theft Auto: Vice City Stories. He strongly prefers multiplayer games, with FPS being his favorite genre, and has devoted 6K+ hours to CS:GO! However, he also dabbles in open-world, story-based games from time to time. Solo RPGs like Horizon Forbidden West hold a soft spot in his heart, and he would readily drop in it given a Jumanji-type scenario.

Sameer makes sure to follow Counter-Strike and Valorant esports tournaments, as he believes that watching a game being played at the highest level can be highly educational. He derives inspiration from Tarik's meteoric rise to become one of the biggest FPS streamers in the world following the release of Valorant.

Outside of work, you can find Sameer playing football or cheering for FC Barcelona. He also likes to read and write poetry.

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