According to the latest news from 76ers team reporter Adam Aaronson, the rumors that the Philadelphia 76ers will trade the third pick and Paul George for Kevin Durant or Lauri Markkanen are not true.

ESPN reporter Jonathan Givony mentioned in his latest mock draft that many NBA teams expect the 76ers to use George and the third pick as core bargaining chips to pursue big-name stars such as Durant and Markkanen. Aaronson made it clear that the 76ers have not yet considered such plans.

Aaronson then analyzed two potential trade scenarios that were speculated by the outside world. He pointed out that if George and the third pick were traded to the Phoenix Suns for Durant, the 76ers' immediate combat effectiveness for next season would be immediately improved. However, considering that Joel Embiid's health is still unstable and Durant is also at a high risk of injury, the team's competitiveness in the playoffs is still questionable.

Aaronson also denied the idea of exchanging George and the third pick for Markkanen with the Utah Jazz. He said that Markkanen has signed a four-year contract with the Jazz worth a total of $195 million, and his high salary and future value are difficult to match the transaction cost of George's contract and the third pick.

Aaronson then added that the 76ers are expected to continue to implement the "first available best player" strategy and not give up high-quality candidates due to short-term position needs. If nothing unexpected happens, they will still use the third pick to strengthen the outside line. Only by using this pick to select a center can the 76ers show serious concerns about Embiid's continued availability.