NBA Insider Considers 76ers a Trade Destination for Chris Paul

The 2019-2020 NBA season wasn't what we expected from the Philadelphia 76ers. After losing a Game 7 in the second round of the playoffs last season against the eventual NBA Champions on a lucky buzzer-beater bounce, the Sixers entered this year with championship expectations.

How did that go? Well, the Sixers went from the third seed to the sixth seed and exited the playoffs in the first round after losing four-straight games. Not even 24 hours later, Brett Brown was fired, and the 76ers' Managing Group and General Manager began thinking about potential front office changes and roster moves as well.

Last offseason's personnel moves were puzzling at the time -- and after the season concluded this year, they still don't make much sense. The Sixers need shooters to surround Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons with, and they need a real starting-caliber point guard who can make plays and create their own shot.

It's not going to be an easy fix for Philly, but two NBA Insiders recently suggested the Sixers should and could make a trade for Oklahoma City Thunder veteran, Chris Paul. This season, Paul appeared in 70 games for the Thunder after getting traded from Houston last summer. The 34-year-old averaged 31 minutes-per-game while putting up 17 points and collecting an average of over six assists.

It's quite obvious Paul would instantly upgrade the 76ers' offensive attack, but what would it take to get him in the eyes of the national insiders? "Would the Thunder like Al Horford? I know they tried to sign him a few years ago when Billy Donovan first got there, and he went to Boston instead," Windhorst stated.

"They've got Steven Adams, who is extension eligible this summer, but [...] would they take Al Horford? Because, can you imagine Chris Paul ordering Joel Embiid around? Ordering Ben Simmons around? It might actually work," Windhorst concluded.

"The Thunder are going to have to take salary back, in some regard, it's just the nature of the deal," Young explained. "I think the years would be a concern. If you attach a pick or a young player -- I think the Thunder would probably view somebody like Al Horford as a good cultural fit within the organization."

Al Horford's first season in Philly was far from ideal. At this point, many believe it could be his one and only year in a Sixers uniform. If Philly's front office can turn Horford, a pick, or maybe a young player into Chris Paul, it could be a winning scenario for the Sixers -- but it's not going to be easy.

Oklahoma City would have to believe that Horford's down year was due to him being a bad fit in Philly as opposed to not having any gas left in the tank. It's promising knowing they've had an interest in Horford in the past, but that was back in 2016. Horford will be a hard sell for any team looking to trade this offseason, but Oklahoma City could surely be a landing spot if Paul is available.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him on Twitter: @JGrasso_