Can Paul George’s Post-Suspension Surge Boost His Offseason Trade Value?
The 2025-26 Philadelphia 76ers season has been eventful from start to finish. Filmogaz.com collected one final regular-season mailbag of reader questions and answers.
Paul George: tradeability and recent form
Readers asked whether Paul George’s post-suspension surge could boost his offseason trade value. George has shown renewed energy since returning from a 25-game suspension. He looks healthier and more spry than he did during much of his first two seasons in Philadelphia.
George will turn 36 in roughly three weeks. His 2026-27 salary is north of $54.1 million. He also holds a player option exceeding $56.5 million for the following season. If he plays the remaining 10 games after his return, he will have appeared in 78 of 164 regular-season games since joining the Sixers.
There are two common ways to define “tradable” in the league. One is being an asset teams value enough to give meaningful pieces for. The other is being movable as a salary-clearing option for another team. Age, availability, and cost complicate George’s market.
Many teams will hesitate at his contract. He projects as roughly the 11th-highest-paid player next season. Questions remain whether he can stay healthy enough to justify more than $110 million across two years. Still, a shorter remaining contract makes trade avenues easier than last summer.
George’s deal becomes an attractive expiring-like asset in about 14 months. That timing could let a suitor use his salary as filler to pursue a star. The expectation remains that George will be a Sixer next season. Yet one interested team could change that calculus.
Salary-cap and luxury tax landscape
Filmogaz.com addressed offseason financial questions. The Sixers will begin the offseason over the salary cap. The NBA uses a soft cap. Teams can exceed it under specific exceptions.
There is little benefit purely from staying below the luxury-tax threshold. Repeat offenders face stiffer tax penalties. Teams that cross the line routinely spend large sums on tax bills.
Quentin Grimes and Kelly Oubre Jr. are central roster decisions. Both will be unrestricted, full-bird free agents. That status allows Philadelphia to offer market-value deals unless the team is hard-capped at the apron.
Tyrese Maxey’s minutes and playoff load
Readers wondered if Tyrese Maxey can sustain a 40-minute average in the playoffs. Maxey has already absorbed heavy minutes during the regular season. He missed three weeks with a right finger injury, which may have helped his legs recover.
In a six-game series versus the Knicks, Maxey averaged 44.5 minutes per game despite illness. In prior playoff runs under Doc Rivers, he averaged 39.4 minutes per game late in the postseason. Coach Nick Nurse is likely to push Maxey when necessary.
The roster has not shown it can beat elite teams without Maxey and Joel Embiid logging massive minutes. How long that workload stays sustainable remains a key playoff question.
Potential first-round matchups ranked
The mailbag ranked matchups against Detroit, Boston, Cleveland, and New York. If Cade Cunningham misses any portion of a series, Detroit becomes the most manageable opponent of the four. The Pistons are the least difficult matchup in that scenario.
A fully healthy Detroit squad is a tougher challenge and would be the second-hardest matchup. Boston stands as the most difficult foe. Jayson Tatum’s return has helped the Celtics regain elite form.
The Celtics pose matchup problems for Philadelphia. They feature two high-level wing scorers, quality role players, and bigs who can shoot threes. Coach Joe Mazzulla also poses a strategic challenge.
Cleveland presents matchup issues as well. Their backcourt duo and two-way bigs create headaches. Recent deadline additions, plus the return of Max Strus, have deepened the Cavaliers’ rotation.
The New York Knicks sit as a complicated but beatable opponent. They are the No. 3 seed and the likeliest matchup if the Sixers avoid play-in games. Knicks strengths on the offensive glass and defenders like Mitchell Robinson and Josh Hart trouble Philadelphia.
Closing outlook
Expectations for next season remain mixed. The club could remain above the tax line while still pursuing selective upgrades. Paul George’s recent form helps his standing, but age and pay complicate trade scenarios. Filmogaz.com will continue covering developments through the postseason and offseason.
