With 19 days left in their regular season, the Philadelphia 76ers have their sights set on the upcoming NBA Draft Lottery, which will determine which pick they’ll get in the first round. Philadelphia’s 2025 first-round pick is protected between selections one through six, but if it falls out of that range, it will belong to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Even if Philadelphia is faced with that troublesome reality, it still has one trick up its sleeve.
On February 4th, the 76ers acquired a 2025 second-round pick from the Dallas Mavericks in the deal that also netted them Quentin Grimes and disposed of Caleb Martin. The pick’s status is yet to be determined, but the upcoming NBA Draft is projected to be loaded with talent in both the first and second rounds. Before this trade, Philadelphia didn’t possess any draft capital aside from its undetermined first-round pick.
If the 76ers regain rights to their 2025 first-round picks, there are plenty of intriguing options outside of Cooper Flagg, Dylan Harper, and Ace Bailey, which I dove into last week. Regardless, Philadelphia will be able to haul in at least one player from this incoming wave of prospects, so here are three routes it could go in.
Florida guard Walter Clayton Jr.
Standing at 6’ 2 and weighing in at 195 pounds, 22-year-old guard Walter Clayton Jr. is heading into the draft with four years of college experience – spending his first two years with the Iona Gaels before transferring to the Florida Gators. In his senior season, Clayton posted 17.6 points per game on 43.2% shooting from the field and 36.5% from deep on 7.1 nightly attempts along with 2.6 assists per game.
Clayton is a prototypical motion shooter who thrives off of screens whether he’s operating on or off the ball. He’s also a capable scorer from the mid-range and restricted area, but his bread and butter is his uncanny shot-making from beyond the arc. Clayton is a passable floor general and has the potential to be a plus defender.
With Quentin Grimes and Jared McCain making compelling cases to start in the 76ers’ backcourt, they likely won’t be rushing to acquire another guard, especially if they’re confident in their ability to re-sign Grimes this summer. However, with time and development, Clayton could prove to be a spark plug coming off the bench with his red-hot shooting and offensive instincts.
Arkansas guard Adou Thiero
Twenty-year-old guard Adou Thiero is projected to be selected in the second round as he’s a 6’ 8/200 pound prospect with plenty of upside. Thiero was a member of the Kentucky Wildcats in his first collegiate years prior to transferring to the Arkansas Razorbacks this season. He notched 15.6 points per game on 54.8% shooting from the field, six rebounds per game, and 1.7 steals per game this season.
With his size, Thiero can play as a shooting guard or adjust to a small forward, which would be a luxury for any NBA team. This is also due to Thiero’s defensive versatility as he can defend both guards and forwards. He is an elite athlete who possesses a great motor, which enables him to be an aggressive slasher. However, Thiero will need to improve his three-point shooting to last in the association as he shot 26.2% from beyond this season.
While Thiero is more of a project than Clayton, his size and defensive talents would add an interesting layer to Philadelphia’s rotation. With Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain both being listed at 6’ 2, the 76ers could use an energetic defensive pest, especially facing teams such as the Boston Celtics and the Cleveland Cavaliers in the future.
UAB forward Yaxel Lendeborg
Coming in at 6’ 9 and 230 pounds, 22-year-old forward Yaxel Lendeborg is one of the more polished prospects heading into the draft. He finished his second season with the UAB Blazers where he averaged 17.8 points per game on 52.6% shooting from the field, 11.2 rebounds, 4.3 assists, 1.8 steals, and 1.8 blocks.
Along with having a cool name, Lendeborg is an all-around talent who impacts the game on both ends of the floor. He’s a tremendous athlete who can explode to the rim off the dribble and shred through multiple defenders. Lendeborg constantly makes the right reads, whether he detects a mismatch or dishes a pass and he also has elite defensive instincts. He’s an elite shot-blocking help defender and stellar off the point-of-attack.
Throughout the season, Philadelphia has lacked depth at power forward, and with Lendeborg’s all-around skill set, he’d be a seamless fit. Regardless if the 76ers can retain Guerschon Yabusele in the upcoming free agency period, Lendeborg likely won’t be receiving a starting role, but he could be a mainstay in their rotation sooner than later.