With the 2025 NBA Playoffs still well underway — and the first-round having just finished — all the Philadelphia 76ers can do for now is to fully take in the action from afar. That is the consequence of them putting forth arguably their most disappointining single-season finishes in franchise history. Now, fans are most likely just glued to their screens, awaiting the fate of their fiercest rivals that have cleanly usurped them this year.
But do not fret, 76ers fans. Soon enough, the team will finally get to dip its fingers on something worth watching out for. The draft lottery will take place just a week from now, and given that it will have huge, defining repercussions for the franchise’s present and future, the team definitely has no choice but to do everything paranormal to lure in the best luck possible.
To those that need a refresher, Philly only gets to keep its own selection this year if their pick is anywhere in the top-six range. Otherwise, Oklahoma City will get another shot at adding to its embarrassment of riches.
Yet despite this huge contrast in outcomes, the 76ers have somehow taken a leap for their future after a latest ouster in the playoffs.
76ers get a huge boost for the future as the Clippers inch closer to doomsday
The Nuggets eliminated the Clippers with a resounding Game 7 win to close out the series, sending LA packing in the first round of the playoffs for the third straight year.
Former 76ers star James Harden notably put on yet another all-time stinker, finishing with just seven points in their season-ending loss.
How does this affect Philadelphia? Well, this only brings LA to its inevitable doomsday situation. Building their roster around Harden and Kawhi Leonard (and Paul George before this season), the Clippers have went all-in on this nucleus, yet they seem to be going nowhere.
The 76ers own the Clippers’ first-rounders in 2028 and 2029. The former is unprotected, while in the latter, Philly will have the right to swap picks.
At those junctures, Harden will be 39 and 40, whereas Leonard will be 37 and 38. Both players stand to be marginal role players at that point, especially with the latter being particularly injury-prone. And with the Clippers not having control of their own picks well into the future, there is simply no wasy way for them to remain competitive and avoid the lottery.
While things look bleak and a tad dicey for now, the Philadelphia 76ers should have a bright future, thanks in large part to their long-term thinking in recent years. Those first-round picks in 2028 and 2029 should be incredible fallbacks for the franchise, especially as they transition to a new era soon.