The 76ers must make the trade after Paul George’s 25-game drug suspension
The Philadelphia 76ers it can be in a pickle until the end of the season, like Paul George was suspended for 25 games for violating the league’s drug policy. George has played well this season and has been relatively healthy, which has helped the 76ers be one of the better teams in the Eastern Conference. The only thing that has helped the 76ers this season is their depth, and they will have to rely on that for the next 25 games with George away from the team.
With how they’ve been playing, it wouldn’t be a surprise if they decided to make a trade before the deadline to try to add some to the team, and that might be the best move. The The 76ers also have some moving contracts on their list, which could further facilitate trade.
The same names have been floating around in trade talks for a while, the main one being Giannis Antetokounmpo, but there’s no way the 76ers are trying to enter those talks now. Then you have Zion Williamson, who the 76ers don’t particularly need.
Staying with the New Orleans Pelicans, they do have some players on their team that could help the contenders now, but it’s uncertain if they’re willing to sell before the deadline unless they get a pick in return (the Pelicans don’t have their first-round pick in 2026).
The only player on the Pelicans the 76ers should go after is Saddiq Bey. After sitting out last season recovering from an ACL injury, Bay returned this year and played at a high level. He’s averaging a career-high 16.5 points per game and is doing his part on the court, even though the Pelicans aren’t winning many games.
If the 76ers wanted to make a deal with the 76ers, they could trade Andre Drummond and a future pick. Drummond has pretty much fallen out of the rotation for the 76ers, and maybe he could get some minutes with the Pelicans. He also has an expiring $5 million contract, while Beiu has two more years left on a contract worth $6 million per year.
This deal could work out for both sides, and it will be interesting to see if the 76ers explore something before the deadline.
2026-02-02 20:28:00
