76ers fate in the draft lottery presents a controversial opportunity for improvement

After months of anticipation, the Philadelphia 76ers’ fate in the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery was revealed yesterday. When the draft order started to drift off the beaten path, Philadelphia’s first-round pick seemed to be in serious jeopardy of falling to the Oklahoma City Thunder. Still, with the positive vibes that Jared McCain brought, the 76ers prevailed as they snuck their way into the top four and acquired the third overall selection. Now, Philadelphia is in a position where there isn’t a clear-cut answer on who to draft, which has some proposing a controversial idea.

With Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper likely being taken by the Dallas Mavericks and the San Antonio Spurs with the first two picks, the 76ers would face an interesting predicament. While the likes of Ace Bailey and V.J. Edgecombe would hypothetically be available, a contingent of fans have suggested that Philadelphia should trade its pick. The rationale is that the 76ers should trade down to acquire a starting-caliber player while still having a hand in the draft.

This idea has Daryl Morey written all over it

If there’s one trend that describes Daryl Morey’s 18-year career as a lead NBA executive, it’s big-name hunting. Between his tenure with the 76ers and the Houston Rockets, he has netted Chris Paul, Dwight Howard, Russell Westbrook, James Harden, and Paul George. While Morey-led teams have never held a championship track record, it shows that he has never been afraid of taking a big swing when a star becomes available. With that being said, the idea of Philadelphia trading down makes perfect sense theoretically.

In the past week, Morey gave two contradicting statements regarding the 76ers’ 2025 first-rounder. On May 7th, Morey appeared on the “Rights to Ricky Sanchez Podcast” and revealed that if Philadelphia doesn’t receive the first overall pick, every option is being considered in terms of trading up or down. Today, Morey appeared on 97.5 “The Fanatic” and stated that the 76ers plan to keep the third overall pick to select a player with high upside who can contribute right away. 

If you’ve been following the NBA for an extended period, then you know to always take the words of executives with a grain of salt. If Philadelphia is indeed interested in shipping off its pick, Morey wouldn’t boldly announce that publicly to receive the best value in a potential deal. However, there is also a great chance that Morey was telling the truth, and the 76ers end up drafting with the third overall pick for the first time since 2015.

What could trading the third overall pick look like?

Now, that leaves the question – which star players could Philadelphia use its pick to trade for? Simply put, there are none since the likelihood of the 76ers acquiring Kevin Durant from the Phoenix Suns or Giannis Antetokounmpo from the Milwaukee Bucks is low. However, teams such as the Brooklyn Nets, Utah Jazz, and New Orleans Pelicans are likely looking to trade deeper into the lottery. Despite each team’s tank effort, the trio all landed a pick outside of the top-four range. Unlike Philadelphia, these teams are trying to establish a new identity.

However, there is one team that stands out above the rest, and that is Brooklyn for two reasons. Firstly, Jake Fischer reported that various teams are already mentioning the Nets as a team who could look to trade up from the eighth overall pick which they currently possess. Lastly, Brooklyn rosters Cam Johnson, a dynamic two-way forward who would be a seamless fit on any contending team. Theoretically, Philadelphia and Brooklyn could both be interested in a deal involving Johnson, the eighth overall pick, and the third overall pick. 

Johnson would fill a year-long void at power forward for the 76ers, who would then have a potential starting unit of Johnson, Tyrese Maxey, possibly Quentin Grimes or McCain, Paul George, and Joel Embiid. On paper, this would be one of the most talented and well-rounded combinations in the NBA. All the while, Philadelphia would hold the eighth overall pick, which could net it a high upside prospect such as Jeremiah Fears, Derik Queen, Khaman Maluach, etc. 

My verdict

While this scenario is intriguing, hanging onto the third overall pick is in the 76ers’ best interest. Having a chance to acquire a player of Harper, Bailey, or Edgecombe’s caliber isn’t something that comes around every year. A lot can develop from now until June 25th, but if Philadelphia can add to its emerging young core of Maxey, McCain, Justin Edwards, and Adem Bona, it must seize this opportunity. The 76ers constructing a roster that is competitive for both the short and long term is a must, especially with the uncertainty revolving around Joel Embiid.