Sixers Mentioned as 'Surprise' Candidate to Target Former NBA MVP

Though it is unlikely, the Philadelphia 76ers do find themselves in a position to make a big splash in the trade market if they want to. As the NBA offseason slowly starts to take shape, they've been mentioned as an under-the-radar squad to pursue a superstar-level talent.

Earlier this month, Shams Charania reported that Giannis Antetokounmpo has shown an "open-mindedness" to playing somewhere other than Milwaukee. Though the Bucks star didn't request a trade, there has been endless speculation about him being on the move this summer.

As the chatter around Giannis continues to grow, the people at Bleacher Report put together a handful of "surprise" teams that could enter the mix if he becomes available. Among those mentioned was the Sixers.

Fleshing out the rest of the package is complex. The Sixers can trade up to four first-rounders this summer, including No. 3. All of them must be on the table. That goes for Jared McCain, too. Ditto for a possible Quentin Grimes sign-and-trade.

Throughout his long career as an executive in the NBA, Daryl Morey has built up a track record of constantly pursuing star talent. In the event that Giannis was to request a trade, he'd surely make a call and do his due diligence. That said, it seems unlikely this is an avenue the Sixers would heavily pursue.

While they have the draft capital and young talent, the Sixers would still need to include one of Joel Embiid or Paul George to make things work financially. It goes without saying the franchise won't part ways with the superstar big man. As for George, he likely doesn't move the needle for Milwaukee coming off a season where he only appeared in 41 games. Because of these factors, the Sixers are right to be labeled as a dark horse team at best when it comes to acquiring Giannis this offseason.