First of all, I don’t think the 76ers can realistically convince Utah to take on Paul George — but Danny Ainge did say “we’re done tanking,” so let’s be optimistic and assume they view Jared McCain as a cornerstone-type piece. Let’s face it — Maxey and McCain together can’t defend anyone. Small backcourts almost never work in the NBA, especially deep into the playoffs. So even if McCain is an absolute talent, Maxey is the Sixers’ guy — and the roster has to be built around him, not beside another undersized guard.

The trickier bit: Utah likely has their eyes on Kon Knueppel, who might still be on the board at #5. The Sixers haven’t done anything to signal they’ll take Knueppel at #3, which keeps that possibility alive. If Morey gets that first trade over the line, things get a lot easier.

At #4, Charlotte is almost certain to take VJ Edgecombe. That brings us to pick #5 — and here's where Philly can get clever. The Sixers badly need a backup point guard, ideally someone who can shoot and defend. Enter Jose Alvarado. By trading down again, they get a bench spark plug while New Orleans gets their guy: Ace Bailey, whom Joe Dumars is known to covet — even if Bailey himself isn’t thrilled about landing there.

Now, NOP might be reluctant to take Andre Drummond, but they just moved Kelly Olynyk. If they pass, Drummond can easily be rerouted to a team that needs a reliable backup big — think Denver.

At pick #6, assuming Washington passes on Khaman Maluach (which they likely will — they’re already deep in the frontcourt), Philly can grab Ayo Dosunmu. Yes, he’s a rental risk, but he fits beautifully next to Maxey — almost like a new De’Anthony Melton.

Maluach, meanwhile, makes too much sense for Chicago. They’re locking into Josh Giddey long-term, and Maluach can cover a lot of his defensive shortcomings.

At pick #12, there should be at least one high-upside wing available: Noa Essengue, Carter Bryant, or Collin Murray-Boyles. All three are still raw, but Philly has the developmental structure to make it work.

One missing technical detail: I couldn’t add a sixth team, but Kelly Oubre Jr. would be moved to a third team, with Philly acquiring Royce O’Neale. He brings exactly what they need — low usage, strong defence, and consistent 3-point shooting. A seamless fit into the starting five.

Quentin Grimes' contract is frontloaded to help the Sixers stay under the 2nd apron in 2025–26 (when Embiid’s new max kicks in). Depending on what Morey does with Justin Edwards’ deal, Grimes might start at around $18M–18.5M and scale up. I'm not confident the Sixers can keep Guerschon Yabusele unless they use the taxpayer MLE, which is their only real shot — going above that hard-caps the team at the 1st apron, limiting all flexibility. If he gets a better offer, he's likely gone.

When Eric Gordon declines his $3.47M player option and re-signs on a veteran minimum deal, he earns an extra $165K, while saving the Sixers $1.3M in cap hit. Every bit counts. That manoeuvre — combined with Grimes’ frontloaded contract and the rookie scale slot for pick #12 — keeps Philly roughly $2–3 million under the 2nd apron, even after signing their first-rounder. That breathing room is crucial: it gives them the ability to aggregate contracts in-season for a trade if something goes wrong (and with the Sixers’ luck, something usually does).

Projected Rotation Starters: Maxey – Grimes – O’Neale – Markkanen – Embiid

Bench: Alvarado – Dosunmu – Edwards – Yabusele – Bona

Only Maxey is a minus defender — and even then, he's disruptive in passing lanes. If Dosunmu can shoot near his career average from deep (36.1%, though just 32.8% last season), Philly always has at least four shooters on the floor — sometimes five.

In fact, Dosunmu might even be the better fit with the starting five, pushing Grimes into a 6th man role — where he could legitimately contend for Sixth Man of the Year honours with heavy minutes off the bench. The biggest concern is Yabusele at the 5 is shaky — he’s undersized, and if Adem Bona doesn’t develop quickly, it might not be enough for next season. That’s exactly why staying under the 2nd apron is key. Philly needs the ability to chase a more traditional backup big before the trade deadline.

Embiid should not be playing more than 55 games — even if it’s his healthiest year ever. That’s okay. Nick Nurse will lean on small-ball lineups, with Markkanen at the 5. Don't forget — he's a legit 7-footer who can shoot, run, and hold his own in the paint.

If this puzzle fits — star talent, veteran depth, rookie contracts, tax mechanics, and rotation balance — then Daryl Morey might just have pulled off his greatest trick yet.