Nov 12, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Paul George (8) drives against New York Knicks forward OG Anunoby (8) during the third quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Sixers Listed as Only Team With 2 ‘Negative Trade Value’ Players

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Justin Grasso | Last updated May 11, 2025 2:45 PM ET

The NBA has quite a few stars across the league coming off a down year. Unfortunately for the Philadelphia 76ers, most of their core players fall in that category.

A recent list of NBA players who likely have negative trade value heading into the 2025 offseason includes multiple Sixers. They happen to be the only organization in that position.

The good news is that the Sixers are unlikely to break up the star core this summer. Joel Embiid, Paul George, and Tyrese Maxey will continue to work together as long as Daryl Morey stays true to his word.

Still, the fact that two-thirds of the star trio in Philadelphia have negative value can’t feel good for the Sixers.

“Embiid is due a significant amount of money,” Bleacher Report’s Eric Pincus wrote. “His availability concerns might make his contract the most difficult to move in all of the NBA.”

You could probably say the same about Paul George.

“Paul George is heading into the second season of his contract with the 76ers. Unfortunately, he didn't live up to his salary this past season,” Pincus stated. “…George's hefty remaining salary may keep him with the Sixers for some time.”

Last summer, the Sixers made three moves to lock in their core group. Tyrese Maxey landed a max deal as a restricted free agent. Paul George was lured in with a max contract after he hit the unrestricted free agency market, and Joel Embiid was rewarded with an extension, adding more years to his deal.

By now, it’s clear the Sixers’ plans for the 2024-2025 NBA season fell flat. Next week, they will potentially acquire a top-six pick in the 2025 NBA Draft as a result of their disastrous season.

In a league where patience is running thin, there’s more pressure for teams to find success right away. Superstar shakeups are happening at a high rate. The Sixers made their moves last summer with intentions of keeping that trio together for several years. Breaking it up one year in goes against the long-term plan.

And since the George-Embiid combination value is at its lowest, the Sixers have no choice but to hold anyway. A lot can change depending on how the 2025-2026 run plays out. While the optics of having negative value in certain players isn’t ideal, the Sixers don’t have to worry about that at this time.