The 76ers should make 3 trades before the 2025 NBA trade deadline

Entering the season, Philadelphia 76ers they were considered one of the teams most likely to make a significant trade. Now, with a losing record and uncertainty over the team’s ability to make the playoffs looming, it’s harder to say what they’ll choose to do ahead of 2025. NBA trade deadline.

Joel Embiid, Tyrese McKay and Paul George are under long-term contracts, as are several other players. They still want to compete for a championship with this core, although this season won’t be the one that ends with them winning the Larry O’Brien Trophy. If any season does, it will be further in the future after the roster is further upgraded.

If the 76ers do make any trades — a safe bet for a Daryl Morey-led team — they will likely be moves that bring in players to help the team off the line, offset future draft picks and/or lower the tax bill. team luxury. The Sixers make sense as a destination for several playersthough this one probably won’t be their most active.

Here are three trade ideas the 76ers should make before the Feb. 6 deadline.

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76ers receive: Jose Alvarado

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

Spurs get: 2027 second-round pick (via Milwaukee Bucks), 2031 second-round pick (lowest of 76ers and Mavericks)

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

Alvarado is under contract through at least next season, making $4.5 million, and has a player option for the same amount next season. Given the possibility that he might only spend one full season in Philly, the 76ers may not be willing to trade significant assets for him.

On the field, however, Alvarado would be a great fit. The soon-to-be 27-year-old is a smart playmaker who is still enough of a threat to get defenses in the rotation and athletic enough to impact defenses. With his penchant for pulling inbound passes and rushing the ball, he would fit Nick Nurse’s system like a glove. His three-point shooting is much improved and he has a few prime years to go.

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

In order to get a quality second-rounder in this year’s draft, the 76ers would send two future second-rounders to the Spurs, who have shown interest in acquiring future draft capital by trading a first-rounder for a first-rounder and a non-transferable trade until 2030s last summer. San Antonio already has two unprotected first-round picks in the 2025 draft, so they can afford to shed one of their second-round selections.

That Bucks pick could be pretty juicy, so if the Pelicans are content to take that as the centerpiece of a return for Alvarado, the 76ers should. But New Orleans still appears to be working on a mandate to win, so sending a pick to carry early could help get the deal done.

The 76ers get a protected comeback from the Thunder

76ers get: Usman Dieng, protection removed from their 2025 first-round pick

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

Although Gershon Yabusele has been extremely valuable to the 76ers, it is unlikely that he will be gone beyond this season. The Sixers can easily be outbid by other teams (including the one in this trade) and cannot extend his contract, so they would be wise to try to get some future value for him before the deadline.

While the 76ers could (and should) pursue trades that send Yabu to a good team and kill off a second-round pick or two, they could also try to get their first-round guard back in 2025. In what will likely be mini tank for the second half of the season, they will want to get something out of it.

The 76ers would benefit immensely from re-acquiring their pick. After shipping it out to get rid of Al Horford’s contract, he now looks like a top-10 selection. The pick is protected through the first six selections, but the Sixers likely won’t be able to compete strongly enough to warrant keeping him, or even be more likely to keep him than pass on him. For potential trades or to add high-end prospects, it’s critical that Philly gets that pick.

Yabusele would be the perfect addition to the bench of any champion hopeful. The Thunder, who may have health concerns for Chet Holmgren and Isaiah Hartenstein, would add another player they can play alongside him and themselves at center. Iabusele’s passing savvy and scoring ability would help an OKC team in need of shooting and a little more juice on the ball offensively. Iabu won’t be isolated or asked to create on his own, but without short throws and catches, he can make things happen.

By risking Iabusele leaving this offseason while surrendering what could be a top-10 pick, the Thunder will also be getting a protected 2026 first-rounder that might just be theirs. This pick came to Philadelphia in the James Harden trade and will likely be one of the last three picks in the first round. OKC would also get an extra second-round pick and get Gordon for salary-matching purposes.

Dieng doesn’t play much for the Thunder, but his size, mobility and potential for improvement would make him an intriguing flyer for the 76ers. The 6-foot-9 forward turns just 22 in May and has the ball-handling, shooting and playmaking abilities that, should they fully transition to the NBA level, would make him a phenomenal, all-around player.

76ers add shooting with Corey Kispert

76ers receive: Corey Kispert, Patrick Baldwin Jr.

Wizards get: Kelly Oubre Jr., Andre Drummond, 2026 first-round pick (lowest from Thunder, Los Angeles Clippers, Houston Rockets), 2030 first-round pick (via 76ers)

The 76ers are in dire need of three-point shooting. Kispert not only shoots well from downtown, but is also a super effective finisher on rim shots, using creative moves and shooting angles to convert quickly. In addition, he rarely wastes time on mid-range shots. His shooting diet is exactly what any team would want in a player, making him ideal for a team with three ball-dominant stars.

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

While Oubre, Philadelphia’s regular starter, has his moments as an energetic guy, defensive playmaker and dunker, he isn’t consistent enough to warrant keeping over Kispert. In an offense where stars are asked to take on a heavy workload, they need guys who can space the floor and make threes, especially with George and Maxey’s three-point shooting as disappointing as it has been.

While Kispert’s defense leaves a lot to be desired, he’s the type of heads-up shooter 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 next two, with the fourth season a team option.

The 76ers have the Clippers’ 2028 first-round pick (as well as their own) and trade rights in 2029. With those huge upsides, they can afford to part with a 2030 first-rounder as well as their additional 2030 first-rounder. 2026 Could would add some protections to potentially keep him, but with Kispert’s affordable contract, youth and skills, he won’t be easily traded. Adding a second rounder or two would still make this deal worthwhile for Philly.

The Wizards, the team with which Oubre began his NBA career, would likely buy him and Drummond out of their contracts to give them a chance to commit to a better team. Baldwin, whose inclusion in this trade is strictly salary-cap friendly, would at least give the 76ers some size and three-point shooting at the power forward spot in the deeper parts of their bench.