5 Sixers thoughts: Getting in on a Kevin Durant deal, the offseason’s first blockbuster and more

Even with at least two more games left to play in the NBA Finals, the offseason has officially picked up steam. A massive trade was made on Sunday morning, and another one is set to be done in the coming days.

As we begin the week with 5 Sixers thoughts, a batch of notes on how those deals could impact the Sixers and other offseason-related subjects that are worth keeping in mind as the rumor mill continues to escalate:

Could the Sixers be in a Kevin Durant trade?

I spent multiple hours working on a realistic Durant trade that involved the Sixers and benefitted all parties involved. Eventually, I landed on this deal:

This move allows Phoenix to remain genuinely competitive while also adding a pick in the middle of the first round this year. Rudy Gobert can enable them to make a massive defensive leap, his former teammate Georges Niang is an ideal frontcourt partner, and Donte DiVincenzo is on one of the better contracts in the league among role players. The deal also gets the Suns below the second apron; I spent an excruciating amount of time confirming they could fill out an entire roster while remaining under the threshold:

Meanwhile, Minnesota adds Durant to Anthony Edwards to form a lethal one-two punch, with a chance to retain upcoming free agents Julius Randle and Naz Reid. The Timberwolves would be top-heavy, especially if Nickeil Alexander-Walker departs in free agency as expected, but it would be quite difficult for anyone to get stops against that offense.

Perhaps the biggest winner of this deal would be the Hawks, who by the power vested in them by a massive trade exception take back three veterans on expiring contracts in exchange for Niang and earn the first pick of the second round for their troubles. Mike Conley can fill their gaping hole at backup point guard while providing valuable leadership, Cody Martin is a serviceable wing and Andre Drummond could be a stopgap at backup center, where they also have a vacancy right now. All three of the players could very easily be useful trade pieces later in the season as well. Just because they have the bandwidth to eat these three salaries and help out other teams with tighter squeezes to pull off, the Hawks flip one player for three and get the No. 31 pick.

The Sixers' involvement is rather simple: at the cost of a good second-round pick in 2027 and three players on the fringe of the roster, they replace Andre Drummond's $5 million expiring salary with Royce O'Neale, a quality two-way wing with three years left on his deal at about $32 million guaranteed. Drummond's money is undesirable for the Sixers and O'Neale can be plugged into any spot in the team's wing rotation.

MORE: Source says Sixers have given 'no consideration' to Durant deal

More thoughts on Durant's market

However, it feels like the Houston Rockets, San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat might have better chances of landing Durant than Minnesota (I am not sure I would be as interested as the Timberwolves have been to date given the defensive hit they would take if they have to move Gobert). Those are reportedly Durant's three preferred landing spots.

Houston has the ultimate advantage in the form of multiple Phoenix first-round picks they owe; certainly the Suns would love to regain some control of their own draft capital moving forward. If the Rockets decide Durant is capable of putting their group over the top and are committed to securing him, they should be able to do so. But they would be wise to remain measured.

San Antonio has Devin Vassell, who might be the most desirable player Phoenix can realistically acquire from any of those teams. Vassell is young, good and under long-term control on an affordable deal. Will the Spurs put him on the table in addition to the No. 14 overall pick and another asset or two? The No. 2 overall pick and Stephon Castle are both off limits… at least one would assume.

Then there is Miami, whose desperation could put them over the top. They are finally on the verge of falling into complete mediocrity and irrelevance, and in a depleted Eastern Conference it is not a hard sell to make that adding Durant to Bam Adebayo and Tyler Herro, with some viable role players around them and Erik Spoelstra at the helm, could make them a team capable of being dangerous. But to what end? Durant, Adebayo and Herro is a nice trio, but not one competing for championships.

The offseason's first blockbuster

Before the Durant trade could grab headlines, the Orlando Magic and Memphis Grizzlies did it on their own. News broke Sunday morning that the teams had agreed on a major deal:

This is, on paper, a massive haul for Bane, who is an excellent player but has never made an All-Star team. The prevailing sentiment regarding this trade is that Orlando got a lot better but paid too significant of a price for a fringe star. I understand it, but I am not sure I agree with it.

Trading two distant unprotected first-rounders is a massive bet on your core working out long-term, and the 2026 pick sent to Memphis has a significant chance of landing in the lottery given Phoenix's brutal situation. But when I wrote last Monday that Orlando was one of the most interesting teams to monitor ahead of the draft, it was because they had two first-round picks – No. 16 and No. 27 – but nearly a full roster dominated by young players. Something had to give eventually.

On top of that, Orlando got out of the final two years of Caldwell-Pope's deal in which he is slated to earn over $43 million. Shedding that salary is worth at least a first-round pick on its own.

At the core of it, though, I believe Bane, Paolo Banchero, Franz Wagner and Jalen Suggs make up a core worth banking on. The Magic have been a good team for two years because of Wagner's and Banchero's dynamic offense combined with a tremendous defensive spirit fostered by head coach Jamahl Mosley. But they were never going to score enough points to win at the highest levels with a yearly dreadful collection of three-point shooters, whose futility from beyond the arc was holding back Banchero and Wagner.

Bane is one of the single most profile snipers in the league who also adds secondary scoring and ball-handling. The Magic likely need another reliable perimeter shot creator to round out their roster, but anything will be possible in the Eastern Conference next season. The time is right for them to push some chips in.

A note on two Sixers' team options

As I have mentioned on a few occasions, the Sixers have a pair of team options – Lonnie Walker IV at $2,940,876 and Jared Butler at $2,349,578 – that could be declined even if the Sixers want to bring either back. The Sixers could decline either option and immediately re-sign the player at the veteran's minimum, which for either player would be $2,296,271 if it is a one-year deal.

For Butler, the savings would not be relevant. In Walker's case, though, saving about $650,000 could be more helpful than one would think, particularly in an era of aprons and hard caps. The Sixers would obviously rather pay Walker a salary just under $2.3 million than one just over $2.9 million, but the extent to which it makes a difference would probably be understated by many.

However, it should be noted that if the Sixers pick up either player's option, that player can be traded immediately, but if they decline the player's option and re-sign them at the minimum, that player cannot be traded until Dec. 15.

MORE: Making statistical cases for and against each of Sixers' options at No. 3 overall

Using No. 35 overall to get out ahead of a 2026 offseason predicament

If the Sixers had lost their top-six protected 2025 first-round pick, the Quentin Grimes-for-Caleb Martin swap would have felt even better, as it also netted the Sixers the return of their 2025 second-rounder, which ultimately landed at No. 35. But now that the Sixers are going to add a premium young talent – very likely at No. 3, barring a trade down – they could be flexible in round two depending on how the board shakes out.

Of course, if the Sixers can draft a player at No. 35 that they are confident can be a quality contributor, they should call the pick in with no hesitation. But if they agree with the many experts saying the massive collection of high-profile collegiate returners weakened that region of the draft board and do not see any exciting options available to them, perhaps they are better off trading the pick.

In that case, the Sixers should look for 2026 draft capital. Unless their first-round pick falls in the top four, delaying their obligation to the Oklahoma City Thunder by another year, they are currently slated to have no picks in the 2026 NBA Draft. Their 2025 second-rounder was initially going to be their pathway into this draft, but perhaps now it can be used as one into next year's draft.

Here is one possible deal:

Sacramento does not have a first-round pick this year; their only selection in 2025 is at No. 42 overall. They also have a significant and concerning number of open roster spots entering the season, and their new-look front office could look for ways to add more young talent to the organization. After looking at each team's 2025 and 2026 draft picks, Sacramento is the most sensible fit in terms of a team with a need for 2025 assistance and the ability to trade multiple 2026 second-rounders.

In a perfect world, though, the Sixers will make this pick with a player they covet still on the board.

MORE: Identifying targets for Sixers at No. 35 based on Daryl Morey's draft history

Follow Adam on Twitter: @SixersAdam

Follow PhillyVoice on Twitter: @thephillyvoice