Should the Philadelphia 76ers Trade With Los Angeles Lakers?

The Philadelphia 76ers could have the top overall pick and the second overall pick if they trade with the Los Angeles Lakers.

It’s no secret that the Philadelphia 76ers are up to something. Tuesday was a huge day for the team, as they worked out the one prospect who denied a workout for every other team in the NBA — Ben Simmons. They then reportedly told him they would select him first overall.

If that wasn’t enough, how about Joel Embiid getting cleared for light 5-on-5 scrimmage activity? All in a day’s work, and it was all reported before 2 pm on Tuesday.

But still, the biggest day (officially) for Philly will be Thursday, June 23rd. This is the day the Sixers will officially announce their selection with the first overall pick in the 2016 NBA Draft, and officially announce that they’ve selected Ben Simmons.

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But what many fans are ignoring is that the Sixers are ready to make Thursday more than just about Simmons. They’re getting plans together to seal the deal on a second lottery pick, one that could possibly be in the top three overall.

The Sixers have already been tied to rumors with the Boston Celtics, looking to grab their third overall pick. Should the Sixers do this deal, they are almost guaranteed to grab Kris Dunn at No. 3. Although it seems like a solid plan on the surface, what the Sixers would have to give up in return would be preposterous, likely sending away Jahlil Okafor, who could easily be the No. 2 prospect in the year’s draft.

Instead, the Sixers should give the Los Angeles Lakers a call.

All of this is really a bummer, in actuality. Due to the Sixers trading away Michael Carter-Williams to the Milwaukee Bucks, the Sixers obtain a Lakers first-round pick. If the Lakers lottery outcome fell out of the top three overall picks this year, it would have conveyed to the Sixers. So the Sixers could have potentially had the top overall pick, as well as the fourth overall pick. In this scenario, no trades need to happen. The Sixers can grab Simmons and Dunn, and get to keep Okafor, Noel, and Embiid.

But nothing ever goes exactly how you plan it. And that might be okay.

The Sixers could potentially dial up LA and get their second overall pick.

The Lakers, as they look to also rebuild their team, are in dire need of a rim-protecting center. The Sixers have one of the best young rim protectors in the league in Nerlens Noel, and have already been looking to move him (or Jahlil Okafor) around. Roy Hibbert, although a solid protection piece during his time with the Indiana Pacers, was unable to be that for the Lakers in this season with the team.

The Lakers, although they could grab Brandon Ingram with the second overall pick, have been looking to potentially trade away their pick. Colin Cowherd reported just over a month ago that the Lakers wanted to trade it.

If the Sixers could send Noel for the second overall pick, they would be golden. Imagine having pick one, where you take Simmons, and pick two, where you can add Ingram or Dunn, whichever you prefer. The potential there is truly incredible.

Of course, the Lakers don’t do Noel for pick No. 2 straight up. You have to add something. The Sixers can sweeten the deal by throwing in players like Nik Stauskas, or Robert Covington/Jerami Grant who are two of the league’s best contracts. If all of that doesn’t entice LA, the Sixers could even offer to remove their ownership of the future Lakers pick.

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The options are to great with trading for the second overall pick to not at least give the Lakers a call.