NBA Trade Rumors: Phoenix Suns Land Paul George in Proposed Deal

As the Philadelphia 76ers continue their tanking in this lost season, the buzz around the league continues that they'll try to trade failed free agent signing Paul George this summer. PG had a bad year in the first of his 4-year, $210 million deal. The Sixers are looking to shake things up in a big way.

The same could be said for the Phoenix Suns, who also cratered this season despite high expectations. They tried to move off of Kevin Durant at the trade deadline, and although it sounds like they'll try to trade him again this summer, maybe they try to improve their so-called 'Big 3' by pulling off a deal for PG instead.

'Three Cone' of Bleacher Report has proposed the following one-for-one deal that would send George to join KD and Devin Booker with the Suns.

Phoenix Suns receive:

Paul George
2nd round pick

Philadelphia 76ers receive:

Bradley Beal
2nd round pick

So basically, this is one albatross of a contract for another. Or as Three Cone puts it, "they're bad contract soulmates."

The Suns get arguably the slightly better player, but have to take on three years of the bloated $50+M annual salary, while the Sixers only get stuck with Beal for two more seasons at that price. Philly saves just over $50M in the long run.

"This one, to me, feels like it could happen," says Three Cone, even though he also says "I don't really like this one for either side."

But "if (Suns owner) Matt Ishbia tries to run it back again," and decides to keep Durant, they might want to give this a try.

"If I saw this pop up in the offseason, I'm not even shocked," says Three Cone. "Because it feels like the Suns really want to move off Bradley Beal and... there is a logic to it."

If the Sixers are just really down on the awkward fit that George has been, they might as well try this, and save themselves plenty of money in the long run.

Philly has been going all out in the Cooper Flagg tanking sweepstakes, going 2-8 in their last 10 and now are tied for the 5th-worst record in the NBA with Brooklyn, one game better (or worse, depending on how you look at it) than the Toronto Raptors.

The Suns, with a recent three-game win streak, have snuck back into a tie for the Play-In spot in the West, but still are three games under .500 and have very little hope of making any noise in the playoffs if they were to sneak in.