Crucial NBA Draft Lottery outcome made the 76ers nightmare season worth it

Maybe it was Jared McCain and the positive energy he conducts himself with. Or, perhaps it was the universe making amends with Philadelphia 76ers fans who have endured so much this season. Whatever it was, it gave the 76ers’ fan base feelings they haven’t experienced in the last seven months – excitement for what’s next. That is because in a little over two months, Philadelphia will draft a player who could change the direction of a franchise in desperate need of a revival.

After months of anticipation, the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery commenced today and revealed the selection order for the upcoming NBA draft. With the 76ers’ 2025 first-round pick being protected for selections one through six, you could almost sense the nervousness and the flickering sense of optimism that fans have suppressed due to recent history. All it took to revitalize a city that would die for its teams was a lone ping pong ball shooting out of a container. That little object revealed that the 76ers have acquired the third overall pick.

Before the Delaware Valley starts popping champagne on a Monday night, there is a crucial aspect to note. Since Philadelphia retained its pick, the Oklahoma City Thunder will receive its 2026 first-round pick unless it falls between selections one through four. If by some nightmare the 76ers net a top-four pick next year, the same situation will take place for the 2027 NBA Draft. This is because of a trade that the 76ers made with the Thunder to essentially salary-dump Al Hoford in the 2020 offseason. 

The 76ers contention window relied on tonight

Still, this is a consequence that should be put on the back burner for now, considering how much this 2025 first-rounder means to Philadelphia. To put it lightly, the 76ers needed this to work out as their contention status grew more uncertain by the day. After playing 19 games in arguably the worst season of his career, Joel Embiid was ruled out for the rest of the year and underwent an arthroscopic procedure on his left knee in April. Yesterday marked one month since the operation, and we’re yet to receive another official update on the status of his recovery.

The uncertainty doesn’t end with Embiid. Paul George entered this season with a clean bill of health only to sustain a variety of injuries, most notably to his left knee, groin, and finger. All this added up to George playing only 41 games and appearing as a shell of his once elite self. Like Embiid, George was shut down for the remainder of the season in February after receiving injections in his left knee and adductor muscle. Considering George just turned 35 years old last week and will enter the second season of his four-year/$212 million contract, this is alarming.

No Cooper Flagg, but there should still be excitement

While Cooper Flagg is out of the equation, Philadelphia still holds an invaluable chance to extend its contention window. This incoming draft class is widely regarded as arguably the most talented of the decade, with intriguing prospects from the lottery to the 30th overall pick. The 76ers can add another cornerstone of their ever-growing young core of McCain, Tyrese Maxey, Justin Edwards, and Adem Bona. This exciting roster trend helps Philadelphia become more athletic and dynamic and provides a promising future in an era potentially without Embiid.

However, the 76ers now find themselves in an interesting predicament. Though Flagg is unanimously believed to be the first overall pick, Dylan Harper and Ace Bailey have been regarded as the next best prospects. Both players have great upside between Bailey’s explosive three-level scoring and Harper’s traditionally sound point-guard play. Philadelphia already established its back-court with Maxey, McCain, and possibly Quentin Grimes, but Harper may be too talented to pass up on. It will certainly make for a great debate in the next few months.