Are 76ers Done Making Moves at NBA Trade Deadline?

The Philadelphia 76ers have already been active leading into the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline. They sent Caleb Martin to the Dallas Mavericks in return for Quentin Grimes and a 2025 second-round pick. KJ Martin was a late scratch from the win over the Mavericks on Tuesday, with his status being listed as trade pending. With just over a day remaining until the 3 p.m. Thursday deadline, are the Sixers done making moves? Below is a breakdown of two more Sixers players who have reportedly been involved in multiple trade discussions around the league.

Should the 76ers trade away Guerschon Yabusele?

There have been few positives to glean from the Sixers’ disappointing 2024-25 season. At or near the top of that list has been the play of Guerschon Yabusele. He parlayed a big run in the Paris Olympics into a minimum contract with the Sixers this past offseason. Once the season began, Yabusele quickly proved to be one of the Sixers’ most valuable players. However, considering the dismal way this season has gone for the Sixers, questions are arising about his future in Philadelphia. Should the Sixers trade Yabusele away at the Feb. 6 NBA trade deadline?

The answer is a resounding no. He is having a resurgent season and has been one of the only players who has largely been able to stay healthy. The French native is averaging 11.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.0 assists per game. His biggest impact has come from beyond the arc, where he is shooting 40.0% on 3.8 attempts per game.

Yabusele has proven to be more than just a floor spacer offensively. He is shooting 71.8% on shots from within five feet of the basket, and those account for 43.9% of his overall shot diet. Opposing teams will typically focus on running him off the 3-point line. Yabusele has developed his ability to punish opposing defenses through driving and finishing strong around the basket. The Sixers have also recently begun to use Yabusele more in the pick-and-roll, giving him more opportunity to make these kinds of plays:

GUERSCHON YABUSELE HAMMER TIME 🔨 pic.twitter.com/dma8z4clrx

— NBA (@NBA) February 3, 2025

As the season has gone along, Yabusele grew into being one of the Sixers’ most consistent and trustworthy players.

While his production has far exceeded expectations, it has come largely with him playing out of position. Due to Embiid and Andre Drummond being injured for most of the season, Yabusele has had to play most of his minutes as a small-ball center. Standing at 6-foot-8, Yabusele is not well equipped to play the center position. As a result, the Sixers have at times struggled defensively with Yabusele on the floor. Their defensive rating jumps to 117.4 with Yabusele in the game compared to 115.0 when he is on the bench.

However, Yabusele’s impact offensively far outweighs any negatives on the other end of the floor. The Sixers’ offensive rating is 6.4 points higher with Yabusele in the game, a testament to his strong production this season. Also, Yabusele’s defensive shortcomings can be largely negated if the Sixers can ever get fully healthy. His ability to space the floor should make him a good fit playing next to Embiid as a stretch four, his more natural position.

One of the biggest reasons why Yabusele might not remain in Philadelphia past the trade deadline is his contract situation. He signed a one-year, $2.1 million contract with the Sixers this past offseason. Due to the Sixers’ salary cap situation, there is a high likelihood Yabusele ends up signing elsewhere this coming offseason. The Sixers do not have his Bird rights, meaning they cannot go over the cap to re-sign him. Unless they are able to free up more cap space, keeping Yabusele in Philadelphia will be a tall task.

Factoring in the chances of losing him for nothing in the offseason, the Sixers could potentially trade Yabusele before the Feb. 6 trade deadline. There is a robust market around the league for Yabusele’s services. Marc Stein, in the Jan. 27 edition of his Substack newsletter, reported the Sixers “have already received multiple trade offers from playoff-bound teams” for Yabusele. Michael Scotto of HoopsHype on Jan. 30 reported the Boston Celtics, Denver Nuggets and New York Knicks have all expressed interest in trading for Yabusele.

There is definitive interest in Yabusele around the league. However, any return in a potential trade might consist mainly of second-round picks. In that case, holding onto Yabusele and the slim chance of re-signing him is clearly the way to go. The calculus might change if a team comes in and wows the Sixers with a first-round pick. Ultimately, the return the Sixers will get for Yabusele will most likely not be enough to warrant giving up someone who has become a key piece of the roster. Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports on Tuesday night reported the following about Yabusele: “Unless the Sixers are bowled over with an offer for Yabusele, the expectation is that he will remain with the Sixers through the deadline, a league source told PHLY.”

As far as Yabusele is concerned, he is focused on playing for the Sixers, a place he says he hopes to remain.

“I’m still a Sixers player, and I hope to stay a Sixers player,” Yabusele said after the Sixers’ loss to the Celtics, via Keith Pompey of The Inquirer.

Is trading away Paul George a real possibility?

Things have not yet clicked for George since signing a massive four-year, $211.6 million contract with the Sixers last offseason. He has missed 19 games, and even when he has been on the floor the results have been subpar. George is averaging 17.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 4.7 assists per game while shooting just 36.5% from 3-point range. Given George’s disappointing season, rumors about a potential change of scenery are beginning to swirl.

ESPN’s Shams Charania went on “The Pat McAfee Show” and said the Golden State Warriors “are legitimately calling about every All-Star player,” including George. The Warriors previously had interest in signing George this past offseason. A potential trade package with Golden State would most likely center around either Jonathan Kuminga or Andrew Wiggins as well as an assortment of role players in order to match George’s $49.2 million salary. The Sixers could also look to get some of Golden State’s draft capital in a deal for George.

Getting off of George’s monster contract is one of the reasons why the Sixers should be open to potentially dealing him at the trade deadline. In an ideal world, the Sixers would be able to also add assets which would help them continue to compete now. Centering a deal with the Warriors around Kuminga would fit the bill for the Sixers. Kuminga is on the final year of his rookie contract and is a restricted free agent this offseason. He is averaging 16.8 points and 5.0 rebounds for Golden State this season. The 22-year old could be a key piece of the Sixers’ core if they elect to re-sign him. If not, the Sixers essentially are resetting after getting off George’s contract, leaving them with a ton of salary cap space to use next offseason.

The Warriors are not the only team rumored to be interested in acquiring George. Pompey reported on Monday evening the Atlanta Hawks have also expressed interest in trading for the nine-time All-Star. Matching salaries would be no issue for Atlanta. They have a multitude of sizable contracts that could be packaged together. The player of most interest to Philadelphia in a potential trade should be Dyson Daniels. The 21-year-old guard is having a breakout season, averaging 13.7 points, 5.3 rebounds and 3.8 assists per game. He is already one of the league’s premier perimeter defenders, averaging a league-leading 3.0 steals per contest. While his offensive game still has a lot of room to grow, there is plenty of reason for optimism about Daniels’ future.

A potential George-Butler swap between the Sixers and Miami Heat has also been floated leading into the trade deadline. Butler is 35 years old and would also require a hefty financial commitment moving forward. A case could be made for Butler being a slight on-court upgrade over George. However, giving major money to an aging player would not be the smartest move for the Sixers to make. Add that Butler is reportedly attempting to force his way to the Phoenix Suns and a potential deal sending him to Philadelphia appears highly unlikely.

The Sixers should be open to trading away George, but only if the right offer appears. Pompey reported “the belief around the league is he’ll only get moved for a home-run deal.”