May 2024 Philadelphia Sixers Wiretap

Rival Teams Think Sixers Could Trade For Jimmy Butler

May 5, 2024 5:27 PM

Jimmy Butler reportedly wants an extension from the Miami Heat this offseason. Butler has two years remaining on his current deal, including a player option for 2025-26. It's unknown where the Heat stand on adding even more guaranteed money to their payroll moving forward. Butler will turn 35 years old ahead of next season and missed the Heat's first-round series loss to the Boston Celtics due to a knee injury.

If the Heat balk at extending Butler, rival teams believe the Philadelphia 76ers could attempt to swing a trade for the veteran wing. The Sixers project to have more than $60 million in cap space this summer. Daryl Morey will be seeking to fill out the roster around Joel Embiid and re-sign Tyrese Maxey.

Butler previously played for part of one season with the 76ers. Philadelphia acquired Butler from the Minnesota Timberwolves. Following the end of the 2018-19 season, Butler was acquired by the Heat in a sign-and-trade deal with the Sixers.

Marc Stein/The Stein Line

Tags: Jimmy Butler, Miami Heat, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Trade Rumor

Discuss
Magic, Sixers Known To Have Interest In Signing Paul George

May 4, 2024 8:52 AM

Paul George is widely expected to decline his $48.8 million player option for next season with the LA Clippers. After LA signed Kawhi Leonard to an extension, it was thought that George and the Clippers would agree to an extension. However, that hasn't happened, and George now appears poised to enter free agency this summer.

Two teams with known interest in George are the Orlando Magic and Philadelphia 76ers. Both teams have the ability to create the necessary cap space to sign the veteran wing to a deal worth up to his projected max salary of just over $49 million dollars for 2024-25.

George has continued to express he'd like to re-sign with LA. The Clippers have reportedly not offered him a max deal, and that's held things up. LA hopes that George, like Leonard did, will take less than the maximum to allow the team to dip below the second apron. That would free up the Clippers to make more roster moves to add talent around their stars.

Sam Amick and Law Murray/The Athletic

Tags: Paul George, Los Angeles Clippers, Orlando Magic, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

Discuss
Sixers Could Pursue Paul George, Jimmy Butler, Brandon Ingram

May 3, 2024 1:23 PM

The Philadelphia 76ers have long been connected to a pursuit of Paul George this offseason.

"The player at the top of theeir list is Paul George," said Brian Windhorst on Get Up on Friday morning. "His contract extension discussions with the Clippers have not led to an agreement. The Clippers are fighting for their playoff lives tonight in Dallas. They have not wanted to offer the max contract. They got Kawhi to accept an extension at less than a max, that has been the standard.

"I think Philly is going to come out with a max offer to Paul George. The Clippers are going to have to decide max or not. Paul George is going to have to decide 'Do I want to stay here or not?'

"But you don't just to have use cap space on free agents. You can use it in trade. This is where I think Daryl Morey is going to go to work. There's going to be a number of names who are going to come up, but I'm going to give you two off the bat here. Both involve who can get extensions with their teams, but for various reasons will not.

"The first name to watch is Jimmy Butler from the Miami Heat. He has two years left on his contract. There is interest in him extending... If Jimmy Butler wants to extend and the Heat are not willing to do it facing heavy luxury tax penalties, is there a way to revisit that?

"Also, another player to watch is Brandon Ingram. He had a very poor playoff session for the Pelicans. He is due a contact extension. The Pelicans have never paid the tax in the history of their franchise. They are set to sign Trey Murphy as a big dollar player alongside Zion Williamson. This is a player who might be on the market and again, I don't think even their No. 1 choice behind Paul George, but this type of player is who Philly can potentially look at to add firepower and offense to this team.

Brian Windhorst/ESPN

Tags: Brandon Ingram, Paul George, Jimmy Butler, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Trade Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

Discuss
Joel Embiid Speaks Optimistically Of Tyrese Maxey, Sixers' Ability To Improve Roster In Offseason

May 3, 2024 12:57 PM

After the Philadelphia 76ers were eliminated by the New York Knicks in Game 6 of the first round of the NBA playoffs, Joel Embiid conducted his postgame interview with Tyrese Maxey by his side. Embiid typically addresses the media at the podium by himself.

Embiid spoke optimistically about the partnership he has formed with Maxey and the Sixers' ability to improve the roster this offseason via cap space and future draft capital.

"It kind of looks exciting," Embiid said. "I don't know what they're going to do. But they do have a lot of cap space and picks, so they have the opportunity to do something good. [But] that's a great position to be in.

"You got a young superstar, face of the franchise for his whole career, really, in Philly. That's exciting ... [we're] trying to build something great here."

Maxey will also be a free agent and he is expected to sign a max contract.

Tim Bontemps/ESPN

Tags: Joel Embiid, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Misc Rumor

Discuss
Tobias Harris Expected To Leave Sixers In Offseason

May 3, 2024 11:56 AM

Tobias Harris is expected to leave the Philadelphia 76ers in free agency, sources tell Tim Bontemps of ESPN.

Harris is coming off a five-year, $180 million contract signed with the Sixers during the 2019 offseason when they also elected to let Jimmy Butler leave via a sign-and-trade. 

Harris averaged 10.8 points per game in the Sixers' first round series loss to the New York Knicks and was scoreless in Game 6.

Harris has been a source of frustration among Sixers' fans.

Tim Bontemps/ESPN

Tags: Tobias Harris, Philadelphia Sixers, NBA, NBA Signing Rumor, NBA Misc Rumor

Discuss