Sixers Rumors Summary: George, Ingram, Butler, OG, KCP, LaVine

The Paul George bombshell distracted many of us from a few other nuggets of information that came to light in the final days leading up to the 2024 NBA Draft and the free agency period that followed.

Let’s take a look around and try to stay on top of the latest news before the next news shakes everything up again in an hour.

Paul Georges

First, we were surprised to learn that the Sixers’ interest in Clippers star Paul George had waned in recent days, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic. Then Friday morning, we received some key information helping us make sense of this update from ESPN’s Brian Windhorst: PG could be leaning toward a join-and-trade scenario.

It would make sense then that if landing the Palmdale, Cali native cost the Sixers a max contract AND valuable draft picks, they could start offering alternative options in front of what was once described as their “Plan A.”

But I don’t think PG is going for a death lock just yet, and with the Sixers perhaps projecting diminished interest could even decrease PG’s leverage a bit.

Kyle Neubeck of PHLY Sports added on Friday:

“On the Sixers side, league sources maintain they are still interested in George, although it would be fair to say he is not their only option or target in free agency. Philadelphia is spending the pre-draft and free agency period discussing different scenarios with teams, including some that have already been reported or speculated about.

So one could reasonably infer that Shams’ confusing tweet was a bit of a play on Philly’s part in response to a quiet indication that PG isn’t entirely on board with Daryl Morey and Co.

But don’t close that door just yet. The fact that Fischer hasn’t spoken about Orlando’s possible pursuit of PG could also further reduce George’s influence.

Brandon Ingram

Neubeck continues:

“Brandon Ingram, for example, is still a player the Sixers are interested in, according to league sources. On the list of desired targets, he still probably sits below George because acquiring him would cost recruiting capital, not to mention the clumsier skill sets that suit Embiid and Maxey, but the broader point is that he doesn’t fit. not about George or his failure. Philadelphia.”

Ingram wouldn’t be as expensive as PG in terms of cap space, but since he’s not a free agent and would require parting with potentially significant draft capital to acquire him, all before to potentially extend the period by 27 years. old.

We have learned that Kelly Iko of The Athletic reported the following:

“…New Orleans’ Brandon Ingram has been mentioned as a player seen in a lower tier than Mitchell and in recent days rumors have swirled about the Pelicans Ingram suspended in trade talks and in one iteration, a hypothetical Ingram-for-Alperen Şengün trade was mentioned, but the Rockets have no interest, team sources said. League sources said New Orleans also contacted the Philadelphia 76ers regarding a possible Ingram trade.

So maybe this conversation went relatively well, contributing to the idea that the Sixers’ interest in PG has waned. BI is significantly younger than PG, 34, and could allow the 76ers to add another key free agent (worth more money than a player they could target if they landed George via cap space ).

We learned a while ago that BI might be a primary fallback plan, and since then we haven’t heard much to dispel that idea. The latest developments on PG should only increase the likelihood of this scenario.

AND Anunoby

SNY’s Ian Begley recently told Knicks Film School’s Jon Macri that he would be very surprised if the Knicks didn’t re-sign the former Raptors wing.

A few days earlier, Michael Scotto of Hoops Hype reported:

“The league-wide expectation is for OG Anunoby to return to the Knicks. The question is, for how much? Based on league executives I’ve spoken with, Anunoby’s floor appears to be $35 million, and his cap hit is a max contract. Philadelphia will be looking for a 3-and-D small forward and has the cap space to make the offer if they think they will miss their top target, Paul George. Two general managers told me they would pay Anunoby $35 million per year and that a cap hit would be difficult because of his injury history.

With all the reporting, the Knicks — who parted ways with former 2019 No. 3 pick RJ Barrett and former 2020 No. 25 pick Immanuel Quickley for oft-injured former Hoosier Anunoby – should keep him, it feels like all Daryl Morey could do here is play spoiler, forcing New York to ultimately pay a high price. But you never know, right?

Neubeck reminded fans that the Sixers expressed interest in OG last winter and added on Friday: “If Anunoby is in play and not just trying to generate leverage, league sources expect the Sixers to be in the mix.”

Jimmy Butler

On Thursday’s “Get Up” on ESPN, Alan Hahn boldly declared, “Jimmy Butler’s days in Miami are over.” »

And a very credible Howard Beck, now with The Ringer, also intervened definitively:

By Neubeck:

“A move I’m skeptical of on the field – a trade for Jimmy Butler, for the Sixers or anyone else. Maybe the NBA intelligentsia is right and I’m wrong, but from what I can tell, Butler has no real interest in leaving Miami and just wants to get paid. The problem is that Pat Riley can be as stubborn as he is, leaving both sides stuck.)”

So if you think Beck is right and the Sixers can’t convince PG or OG to take their $212 million, maybe they would empty former Sixer Butler’s coffer.

But bargaining with Riley probably wouldn’t be very pleasant. If the Sixers can’t entice someone like PG to join them, Riley could be much more confident in South Beach’s appeal.

Kentavious Caldwell-Pope

ESPN senior writer Zach Lowe recently speculated about the connection between the Sixers and Nuggets two-way guard Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, a Klutch Sports client like Tyrese Maxey.

Jake Fischer for Yahoo added:

“As a result, Kentavious Caldwell-Pope appears, at this time, to be the veteran in line to benefit from the Magic’s cap space. Caldwell-Pope would also have a potential home in Chicago, should the Bulls end up losing to Williams, in addition to Philadelphia considering the veteran wing as a backup option.

At the end of May, Fischer reported:

“The Sixers, according to sources, took note of Indiana’s two-year splurge for Bruce Brown, who then became the biggest payday to return to Toronto in exchange for Siakam. Veteran wings like Klay Thompson and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope are reportedly on the Sixers’ list of targets for similar one-plus-one contracts, sources said. Hitting on an important wing would also leave the door open for Philadelphia to consider drafting a player such as Zach LaVine, sources said, in case Chicago or another team is willing to attach draft capital to reduce his salary.

And if PG is less of a realistic option, perhaps that increases the chances they’ll turn to KCP.

Zach LaVine

The price of former two-time Bulls All-Star Zach LaVine, who shares a coach in Drew Hanlen with Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey, may have dropped considerably recently. But insiders still don’t think he’s a realistic candidate to play in Philadelphia next season.

KC Johnson of NBC Sports said Chicago contacted the Sixers to talk business here:

“League sources reiterated that the Bulls remain active on several trade fronts centered on Zach LaVine, including with the Utah Jazz and Philadelphia 76ers. Does this decision to step back cause DeMar DeRozan to more strongly consider unrestricted free will?

But PHLY Sports does not yet seem to subscribe to this idea:

Neubeck would report: “I reiterate here that the Sixers are not interested in pursuing Zach LaVine, according to sources familiar with their thinking, despite reports linking them to the Bulls’ star guard.”

Fischer’s ratios are similar:

“LaVine remains simply a backup option for the Sixers, sources said, but not a player Philadelphia really covets with the team’s ocean of cap space. If there’s a suitor for LaVine that seems most likely at this point would be the Kings.

So if you follow Ingram’s and Caldwell-Pope’s markets, it seems like their chances of becoming Sixers have each increased, even if they both ultimately wouldn’t make it here.

Names like George, LaVine and OG don’t seem as realistic. As for Jimmy Butler, I can’t imagine Riley would like to send him to play with Embiid and Maxey and would try to move heaven and earth before letting that happen. But you never know.