After selecting Labaron Philon Jr. with the 22nd overall pick in the first round of the 2026 NBA Draft, the Philadelphia 76ers technically no longer have any agenda remaining with respect to the rookie pool given their lack of a second-round pick. However, their idle stance seems to have resulted in them missing out on a perfect trade opportunity.
ESPN's Shams Charania just broke that the Detroit Pistons have traded Isaiah Stewart to the Memphis Grizzlies for three future second-round picks –– a heavily discounted cost for one of the best defensive big men in the league. This is exactly the kind of bargain which Philly needed this summer, and they fumbled it altogether.
Mike Gansey hinted after the first round of the draft that despite their lack of a second-round selection, the front office was not ruling out the possibility of getting involved therein. So far, there has been no traction to follow through on that statement, and missing out on what was otherwise an obvious trade to pursue will not get them any kind of acclaim.
The 76ers missed out on a perfect trade target in Isaiah Stewart
As everyone knows, the 76ers badly need to reinforce the center position this offseason, and after taking Philon in the draft, they are no longer in the running to bolster that department through the rookie pool (without prejudice to them picking up an undrafted player). The front office has some financial leeway to take advantage of in free agency, but Stewart would have been a much better and secure option to go after.
Sure, he might have flamed out in the playoffs, but the rugged big man was a pivotal player for a 60-win team last season. He has been one of the best interior defenders in the NBA for quite some time now, and he has already expanded his game enough to peg him as a versatile frontcourt option since he can play both the 4 and the 5.
That he ended up costing just three second-rounders is a huge win for the Grizzlies and a major missed opportunity for the 76ers. Players who are not afraid to stick their nose and thrive in the intangibles like Stewart simply do not grow on trees, and Philly certainly could have beaten out the eventual price Memphis had to pay for him.
There is no use crying over spilled milk, so the front office now has to bounce back and address the team's lack of depth at the center position in some way. Otherwise, this missed layup will keep stinging.
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