Shockwaves were felt across the NBA on Wednesday when ESPN’s Shams Charania reported that the Milwaukee Bucks were, for the first time, genuinely listening to trade offers for Giannis Antetokounmpo. A number
of teams have since been linked to the former Finals MVP, with Miami, New York, Minnesota and Golden State emerging as the most frequently mentioned suitors. So far, however, the Sixers have not been connected to the superstar forward.
Jake Fischer and Marc Stein have been closely tracking the developing trade market and recently shed light on Philadelphia’s position. Their reporting suggests the Sixers’ level of interest, or lack thereof, while also offering an intriguing detail about how the situation is unfolding:
“League sources say Philadelphia, furthermore, has not contacted Milwaukee about a possible Antetokounmpo deal in the wake of a better-than-expected first half, but The Stein Line has learned that the prospect of teaming up with Tyrese Maxey — who, like Giannis, works with prominent NBA trainer Drew Hanlen — does have the 76ers on Antetokounmpo’s radar.“
Many will focus on the latter detail in the quote, but the more surprising revelation is that the Sixers have not contacted Milwaukee at all. I’m not arguing that they should trade for Giannis Antetokounmpo, or that it would even make sense. Still, this is Daryl Morey we’re talking about. He’s a known star hunter, the executive who’s always willing to make a call about your best player. The fact that there hasn’t been even a preliminary inquiry is notable and reinforces the idea that the Sixers are operating on a longer timeline, one that likely centers on Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe.
That said, it’s still interesting that Maxey was mentioned as a potential running mate for Antetokounmpo. That part isn’t much of a surprise, given how seamless the fit would be. Maxey has arguably been the best guard in the Eastern Conference, and Philadelphia would still have flexibility to build around those two. So far, the only other player reported as a possible partner alongside Antetokounmpo is Minnesota’s Anthony Edwards, according to ESPN’s Brian Windhorst.
Despite interest from Antetokounmpo’s side, the path to a Giannis-to-Philadelphia deal is murky at best, which likely explains why the Sixers haven’t shown much interest. For salary-matching purposes alone, Philadelphia would have to include at least one of Paul George or Joel Embiid. Embiid has been playing his best basketball in years, while George, despite some ups and downs, has done a solid job filling gaps on both ends of the floor.
And that’s before factoring in what Milwaukee would almost certainly demand on top of the contracts, likely a significant haul of draft capital and young players. When viewed through that lens, the lack of movement from the Sixers becomes far easier to understand.
Despite the overwhelming odds that nothing ultimately develops between the Sixers and Antetokounmpo, it’s worth noting that he singled out Maxey as one of just two players he’d be interested in playing alongside early in the process. That detail alone makes it difficult to completely dismiss the idea.
Still, unless there’s a significant shift in the Sixers’ stance, this appears more like an interesting footnote than a realistic outcome. For now, Philadelphia seems committed to a longer-term vision, one centered on Maxey and the pieces around him, rather than making a franchise-altering swing for a superstar whose fit, cost and timing don’t quite align.
