In just a week from now, the Philadelphia 76ers should get a lot more certainty as to how their offseason strategy would look like. After all, the draft lottery will soon give the franchise an idea if they will be in a position to add a young, solid prospect to enhance not only its present, but most importantly, its future.
After finishing their campaign with a putrid 24-58 win-loss card, the 76ers will get rewarded by touting the fifth-best chances at landing the first overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which is presumptively going to be Duke standout Cooper Flagg. Yet even if the team does not get the top prize, this year’s draft class is widely reckoned to be an elite field. They are sure to get an elite prospect.
Having said that, as everybody knows by now, the 76ers have no full control over their own selection. Thanks to a trade from years ago, Philly will only get to keep its own draft pick if it lands anywhere inside the top-six. Fall out of that, and Oklahoma City will snatch their first-round picks for their own perusal.
Daryl Morey says he has no regrets about the 76ers trading their first-rounder with Al Horford
Back in 2020, when the 76ers got booted out easily in the makeshift playoffs held at the Orlando Bubble, the front office sought to implement ample changes to the roster, rpimarily with the team’s personnel. Al Horford, whom the front office confusingly signed just a year ago back then, was the first to go.
Philadelphia sent Horford and their 2025 first-round pick, albeit protected, to Oklahoma City in a cap-clearing move. In return, they acquired Danny green, who went on to become a key player for the squad for almost two seasons.
Still, that very trade has now put the 76ers in a dicey situation. While they are much more likely to retain their pick, the Thunder still have a 36 percent of snagging it for themselves. That is still a considerable chance.
Yet given this scenario, it seems like Morey is not kicking himself for pulling the trigger on the erstwhile trade.
First off, I feel very good about that trade because it put us in a great spot. It was before coach [Nick Nurse] was here, but we were the one-seed going into the playoffs. Usually, that gives you a 40-50 percent chance to make the finals. So I feel good that we got good value out of that trade. Danny Green was great for us. Seth Curry was [acquired in] a different trade. But anyway, I feel good about that.”
The Horford trade definitely gave the 76ers a much-needed dynamic change, but it’s not like the former All-Star was anywhere near unserviceable. While parting him could be argued to have been necessary, parting with a first-round pick with such a superficial protection was too big of a concession, especially in hindsight.
The Philadelphia 76ers cannot do anything anymore with regard to this nugget. At this juncture, all they can do is hope that their misfortune balances out with corresponding luck.