At this point in time, fans are already expecting the Philadelphia 76ers to yield to common sense and do the simplest thing possible come June 25 — draft a good prospect with the third overall pick without moving from that enviable position, which many teams are understandably trying to wrestle away from them.
Two prospects have emerged as the undisputed favorites to end up in Philadelphia — Rutgers’ Ace Bailey and Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe Jr. Both prospects will undeniably augment the team’s collective ceiling, especially a few years from now, if they ultimately pan out. For now, the money is on Edgecombe to come out as the third overall pick, although that one remains open for discussion, of course.
Having said that, the 76ers seem to have not yet foreclosed any opportunity to forego selecting a prospect. Put simply, Philly is reportedly still considering trading their pick — a possibility that will definitely shatter a lot of envisioned scenarios for the franchise along the lines of long-term thinking.
76ers fans should prepare for huge heartbreak if latest draft rumor is true
According to Jake Fischer, the 76ers have signaled to other teams that they will remain open to any and all trade offers surrounding the third overall pick well into tiny snippet of time when they will make their selection.
While the possibility of a draft night trade is certainly not novel for the 76ers, which are led by the league’s foremost trade maniac in Daryl Morey, recent signs point to stronger chances of the team ultimately steering clear from such direction, which is widely perceived as a shortsighted venture for the franchise.
Given the new CBA rules, it has become much tougher for star-studded teams to build rosters that are viable for the strenuous length of an NBA season. Hence, the fact that the 76ers continue to exhibit a proclivity to such a restrictive form of team-building should be more than enough to perplex fans.
Hopefully, this is nothing more than Philly merely conducting its due diligence and seeing if there are teams with more than sufficient desperation to willingly enter into a fleece job as part of the loser’s circle. After all, there are indeed a slew of stars expected to be available for plucking.
Otherwise, the Philadelphia 76ers will be repeating a same, old mistake, effectively ensuring that their future remains bleak due to how much they have invested in their short-term goal.