New Lottery rules may have saved the Sixers

The new CBA and the new lottery system could quietly change the Sixers’ offseason.

The common assumption is that Philadelphia would have to attach assets just to move Joel Embiid or Paul George because both players are older, expensive, and carry real health or decline risk. But the new lottery format may change how rebuilding teams think.

Under the new rules, being one of the three worst teams is no longer the clear best path. The bottom-three teams are not rewarded as strongly, while teams in the broader bottom-10 range can still have strong lottery odds. That means the ideal rebuilding strategy may shift from being as bad as possible to being bad, but not completely hopeless.

That could create a market for expensive veterans who still help you win regular-season games. Embiid and George have risky contracts, but they also raise a team’s floor. For teams projected to be bad in 2026-27, like the Bulls, Hornets, Wizards, Jazz, Nets, Raptors, or Blazers, adding one of them could help avoid the bottom-three zone while still keeping the team in the lottery.

That matters for the Sixers. Instead of treating Paul George as a pure salary dump, Philadelphia may find teams that actually value the wins he can provide. Embiid is a different case because his upside is still much higher, but the logic is similar. If a team wants to be more competitive without fully leaving the lottery, he could be attractive at the right price.

Some possible trade structures:

Paul George to the Bulls

Sixers receive: Patrick Williams, Isaac Okoro, Jalen Smith, Tre Jones Bulls receive: Paul George

Chicago gets a veteran star who can make them more competitive without giving up their main young pieces.

Paul George to the Hornets

Sixers receive: Miles Bridges, Josh Green, Grant Williams Hornets receive: Paul George

Charlotte could put George next to LaMelo Ball and Brandon Miller to raise the floor of the team and avoid another bottom-three season.

Paul George to the Heat

Sixers receive: Andrew Wiggins, Nikola Jović, Davion Mitchell Heat receive: Paul George

Miami consolidates depth into a higher-upside veteran, while Philadelphia turns one massive contract into multiple useful rotation pieces.

Joel Embiid to the Kings

Sixers receive: Domantas Sabonis, Malik Monk Kings receive: Joel Embiid

Sacramento swaps stability for upside. Sabonis is safer, but a healthy Embiid gives the Kings a much higher ceiling.

Joel Embiid to the Raptors

Sixers receive: R.J. Barrett, Jakob Poeltl, Gradey Dick Raptors receive: Joel Embiid

Toronto would keep its main core while taking a swing on a discounted superstar. Philadelphia would get younger, deeper, and still have a starting-caliber center.

Joel Embiid to the Bulls

Sixers receive: Josh Giddey, Patrick Williams, Isaac Okoro, Jalen Smith Bulls receive: Joel Embiid

Chicago would be betting that Embiid can immediately make them relevant again. For Philadelphia, this would be more of a reset around Maxey, VJ Edgecombe, Giddey, and younger rotation pieces.

The bigger point is that the new lottery system may make expensive veterans more movable than expected. In the old system, players like George or Embiid could hurt a rebuilding team by adding wins and damaging lottery odds. Under the new system, those wins may actually have value because they help teams avoid being bottom-three while still remaining in the lottery mix.

That could give the Sixers more leverage than people think.