3 trades 76ers should make ahead of 2025 NBA trade deadline

01/16/2025 03:21 PM

Coming into the season, the Philadelphia 76ers were seen as one of the most likely teams to make a sizable trade. Now, with a losing record and uncertainty of the team’s ability to get into the playoffs looming, it’s tougher to tell what they choose to do ahead of the 2025 NBA trade deadline.

Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey, and Paul George are under contract for the long run, as are a few other players. They still want to try to compete for a championship with this core, though this season is not going to be the one that ends with them hoisting the Larry O’Brien Trophy. If any season does, it will be further in the future after the roster is upgraded further.

If the 76ers do make any trades — a safe assumption for a team led by Daryl Morey — it will probably be moves that bring in players that help the team down the line, recoup future draft picks and/or lessen the team’s luxury tax bill. The Sixers make sense as a destination for several players, though this one probably won't be their most active.

Here are three ideas for trades the 76ers should make ahead of the February 6 deadline.

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76ers land Jose Alvarado from Pelicans

76ers receive: Jose Alvarado

Pelicans receive: Reggie Jackson, 2025 second-round pick (more favorable of Chicago Bulls and San Antonio Spurs), 2031 second-round pick (more favorable of 76ers and Dallas Mavericks) 

Spurs receive: 2027 second-round pick (via Milwaukee Bucks), 2031 second-round pick (least favorable of 76ers and Mavericks) 

The 76ers need more help at the guard spot, especially with Jared McCain done for the season. Jose Alvarado would be a great addition and shouldn't be too costly to trade for. Jackson could ride the season out with New Orleans or get bought out with the hopes of landing on another team via the buyout market.

Alvarado is under contract for at least next season, earning $4.5 million, and he has a player option for the same amount the following season. Given the possibility that he could only spend one full season in Philadelphia, the 76ers may be reluctant to trade significant assets for him.

On the court, however, Alvarado would be a great fit. The soon-to-be 27-year-old is a savvy playmaker who’s still enough of a scoring threat to get defenses in rotation and athletic enough to make an impact on defense. With his penchant for swiping inbound passes and pursuing the ball, he would fit Nick Nurse’s system like a glove. His three-point shooting is much improved and he’s still got several prime years left.

Although the Pelicans could be swayed by what the Sixers have to offer, they might be more enticed by a second-rounder in the upcoming draft. They don't have a selection in this round and would surely want to find someone to replace Alvarado (or address another need) as soon as possible. That's where the Spurs come in.

To obtain a quality second-rounder in this year’s draft, the 76ers would send two future second-rounders to the Spurs, who showed their interest in acquiring future draft capital by swapping a 2024 first-rounder for a first-rounder and a swap that won't convey until the 2030s this past summer. San Antonio already has two unprotected first-round picks in the 2025 draft, so they can afford to ship off one of their second-round selections.

That Bucks pick could be pretty juicy, so if the Pelicans are content to receive that as the centerpiece of the return for Alvarado, the 76ers should go for it. But New Orleans still seems to be operating on a win-now mandate, so sending a pick that conveys sooner may help get the deal done.

76ers get protected pick back from Thunder 

76ers receive: Ousmane Dieng, protections removed from their 2025 first-round pick

Thunder receive: Guerschon Yabusele, Eric Gordon, 2026 first-round pick (least favorable of Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers and Houston Rockets), 2027 second-round pick (more favorable of 76ers and Bucks)

Although Guerschon Yabusele has been extremely valuable for the 76ers, he’s unlikely to stay beyond this season. The Sixers can easily get outbid by other teams (including the one in this trade) and they can't extend his contract, so they would be wise to try to get some future value for him ahead of the deadline.

While the 76ers could (and should) entertain trades that send Yabu to a good team and net then a second-round pick or two, they could also try and regain their own 2025 first-round pick back. In what will probably be a mini tank for the second half of the season, they're going to want something to gain from it.

The 76ers would benefit tremendously from reacquiring their pick. After shipping it off to unload Al Horford’s contract, it’s now looking like a top-10 selection. The pick is protected through the top six selections but the Sixers probably won't be able to tank hard enough to guarantee that they keep it, or even have more of a likelihood to keep it than convey it. For potential trades or to add a high-level prospect, it’s crucial that Philly obtains that pick.

Yabusele would be a perfect addition to any championship hopeful’s bench. The Thunder, who may have concerns about Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein’s health, would add another player they can play both next to him and on his own at the center spot. Yabusele’s passing smarts and scoring capabilities would help an OKC team that needs shooting and a little more on-ball juice on offense. Yabu won't be getting any isolations or asked to go create on his own but off of short rolls and drives off of catches, he can make stuff happen.

Since they run the risk of Yabusele leaving this offseason while surrendering what could be a top-10 pick, the Thunder will also get a protected 2026 first-rounder that could end up just being their own. This pick made its way to Philly in the James Harden trade and will probably be one of the last three picks of the first round. OKC would also get an additional second-round pick and receive Gordon for salary-matching purposes.

Dieng doesn't play much for the Thunder but his size, mobility, and potential to improve would make him an intriguing flyer for the 76ers. The 6-foot-9 forward turns just 22 years old in May and has ball-handling, shooting, and playmaking capabilities that, if they fully transfer to the NBA level, would make him a phenomenal, versatile role player.

76ers add shooting with Corey Kispert

76ers receive: Corey Kispert, Patrick Baldwin Jr.

Wizards receive: Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond, 2026 first-round pick (least favorable of Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets), 2030 first-round pick (via 76ers)

The 76ers need three-point shooting badly. Kispert not only shoots well from downtown but is a super efficient finisher on shots at the rim, using creative moves and shooting angles to convert at a high rate. Plus, he rarely wastes his time shooting mid-range shots. His shot diet is exactly what any team would want from a role player, making him an ideal fit on a team with three ball-dominant stars.

Throughout his NBA career, Kispert has been a fantastic shooter at the rim. That percentage has taken a dip this season but he has shot above 76 percent (hey now!) on shots within three feet of the rim in each of his three prior NBA seasons. His three-point percentage over his two seasons before this one? 40.2 percent on 5.6 attempts per game. Although his efficiency has taken a dip this season, he’s still a very good shooter.

While Oubre, a regular starter for Philly, has his moments as an energy guy, defensive playmaker, and dunker, he’s not consistent enough to justify keeping him over Kispert. In an offense where the stars are asked to do the heavy lifting, they need guys who can space the floor and splash threes, especially with George and Maxey’s three-point shooting being as disappointing as it is.

Although Kispert’s defense leaves plenty to be desired, he’s the type of heads-up sharpshooter that would be a major breath of fresh air in Philly. He’s also under a good contract, paying him $14 million in each of the next two seasons and $13 million in each of the following two, with the fourth season being a team option.

The 76ers have the Clippers’ first-round pick in 2028 (as well as their own) and swap rights in 2029. With those huge advantages, they can afford to part with a first-rounder in 2030 as well as their additional first-rounder in 2026. They could add some protections to potentially retain it but with Kispert’s affordable contract, youthfulness, and skill set, he’s not going to get traded easily. Adding a second-rounder or two would still make this deal worthwhile for Philadelphia.

The Wizards, the team Oubre started his NBA career with, would probably buy him and Drummond out of their contracts to give them a chance to latch onto a better team. Baldwin, whose inclusion in this trade is solely to match salaries, would at least give the 76ers some size and three-point shooting at the forward spot in the deeper parts of their bench.

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