Zach Lowe said on his podcast that the Denver Nuggets "sniffed around trading for Paul George multiple times." The comment was made in reference to Wosny Lambre saying that teams like the Nuggets could talk themselves into trading for George and his contract, but not Joel Embiid.
The Sixers signed George to a four-year, $212 million deal last offseason in free agency in a move that many believed made them legitimate contenders. However, Philadelphia's issues began before the season started, with George and Embiid missing the first game of the season due to injuries.
George averaged 16.2 points, 5.3 rebounds, 4.3 assists, and 1.8 steals per game in his first season with the Sixers, shooting 43% from the field and 35.8% from three. He played only 41 games in what was an extremely disappointing year for Philly. At least it resulted in the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, but the Sixers want a championship with Embiid. Where will the No. 3 selection fit into that?
There was talk about Philly wanting to package the No. 3 pick in a deal with George for an upgrade, but NBA insider Marc Stein reported that was false. George's trade value is at an all-time low. Lambre mentioned that Denver could offer Michael Porter Jr. to Philadelphia in a trade, but that isn't something the front office should even consider.
Nuggets "sniffed around" about a Paul George trade in the past
George averaged 22.6 points on 47.1% shooting from the field and 41.3% from deep in his last season with the Clippers. The most impressive part is that he played 74 games, the most since the 2018-19 season when he was in Oklahoma City. George's injury history has always been a concern, but the Sixers were encouraged by what they saw from him during the 2023-24 season. They envisioned that he'd be the one to lead Philly to a title alongside Embiid.
Lowe didn't say how interested Denver was in George in the past, but imagine what would have happened if a trade had occurred. Maybe he'd have fared better with the Nuggets than he did in 2024-25 with the Sixers, but that's a question Denver fans are happy went unanswered.
The Nuggets' biggest offseason need is depth. They ran out of gas in the second round of the semifinals against a deep Thunder team that is four wins away from winning a championship. Strengthening the roster could mean saying goodbye to a player like MPJ, but no, Denver shouldn't be tempted to trade him in a package for George. That'd be the equivalent of taking 100 steps backward. The 35-year-old can stay in Philly.