Potential Sixers Trade Target Becomes More Realistic With Wizards’ Recent Moves

LeBron James is the only player on most Sixers fans’ minds right now.

Rightfully so.

But if he reunites with the Cleveland Cavaliers a second time, Philadelphia must explore other ways to fine-tune its roster. That path could lead Mike Gansey and company to the nation’s capital.

The Sixers, for all their offseason glamor, still lack small forward depth. If Philadelphia is not interested in the remaining wings on the free-agency market, the Washington Wizards may be willing to part ways with Justin Champagnie, given their newfound logjam at the three.

Champagnie, a five-year veteran, has found a home in Washington, having spent the last three years with the Wizards. The 6-foot-6 wing notched 8.7 points on 50.2% shooting from the field and 5.6 rebounds per game in 69 games this season.

SIXERS TRADE TARGET — Justin Champagnie

🗒️ 8.7 PTS
🗒️ 5.6 REB
🗒️ 50.2% FG

Champagnie has carved out a solid role these past few years in Washington and could provide some much-needed wing depth for the Sixers. 👍 pic.twitter.com/4hsFaDPWu5
— Sleeper76ers (@sleeper76ers) June 20, 2026

His calling cards are exactly what wins the Philadelphia fanbase’s heart: hustle and defense. Champagnie is a defender who can guard positions one through three, provide help defense and limit second-chance opportunities with elite positional glass-cleaning. He tallied 10 rebounds per 36 minutes, with 2.2 of them being on the offensive end, according to Basketball Reference.

Champagnie’s offensive speciality is play-finishing, displaying relentless off-ball movement that yields him scoring chances at the rim. His shooting is in question, however. The 25-year-old shot 31.9% from 3-point range this year—a sharp decrease from 2024-25. His decline may be due to the tanking ecosystem he was in and his efficiency could improve playing with Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Jaylen Brown.

Champagnie proved that he belongs in the league, but his opportunity in Washington is now limited. He will be sharing minutes with the likes of AJ Dybantsa, Bilal Coulibaly, Will Riley, Cam Whitmore and now Khris Middleton, whom they got from the Dallas Mavericks in a six-team sign-and-trade on Tuesday evening.

A potential mock trade

That being said, the Sixers could offer something along the lines of Jabari Walker ($2.58 million), a 2027 second-round pick (via the Phoenix Suns) and a 2028 second-rounder (via the Golden State Warriors) for Champagnie ($2.67 million). If the Wizards play hard-to-get, Philadelphia could deal Washington’s 2030 second-rounder as a sweetener, which the Sixers acquired in the Reggie Jackson trade in February 2025.

Alternatively, the Sixers could utilize the $4.2 million trade exception generated by the Jared McCain trade to absorb Champagnie’s contract without sending out any players. But that would inhibit their ability to roster James, should he choose Philadelphia. However, they could waive Dalen Terry's non-gauranteed contract to create another roster spot.

I added the Sixers' available roster-building tools to my cap sheet, which is up to date as of this evening.

If you have any questions, reply! pic.twitter.com/ryEoYyg9zK
— Jacob Moreno (@jacob_moreno_) July 3, 2026

By doing this trade, Philadelphia would upgrade its small forward depth, with Champagnie and Edwards playing behind Brown. The deal is also a pathway to upgrade the team without compromising the Sixers’ last open roster spot. What’s more, Champagnie’s $2.67 million salary for 2026-27 is non-guaranteed and he has just a $3 million team option for the 2027-28 season.

The 25-year-old is not LeBron, but Philadelphia netting a wing who embraces the scrappiness of things would be a quality end to a gutsy offseason.

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