Before the 2025 NBA Draft Lottery, the Philadelphia 76ers were frequently linked to the Duke center, Kahman Maluach. With the Sixers fifth in the lottery standings, Maluach would certainly be one of the best players available in that slot.
Now that the Sixers have the third-overall pick officially, Ace Bailey has become the player most frequently linked to the 76ers. However, a recent mock draft from Fox Sports sticks to a previously popular prediction. Khaman Maluach was mocked to the 76ers at No. 3.
“The Sixers have been on a long search for a backup big man to Embiid. Why not get the 7-footer out of Duke, who is 18 years of age and loaded with upside. His wingspan measured 7-foot-6, along with a 9-foot-6 standing reach, the latest testament to the explosiveness he can bring as a rim protector and mobile big man. Do I think it’s a slight reach at No. 3? Maybe. But the fit makes sense in Philadelphia and I think Maluach is a big-time riser in this class. “
It’s true the Sixers have been searching for a long-term backup to Joel Embiid. Back in 2020, the Sixers drafted a candidate for that position when they selected Paul Reed in the second round of the draft. In the following draft, the Sixers double-dipped on centers by taking Charles Bassey and Filip Petrusev.
At this point, none of those guys are on the team.
The former UCLA standout Adem Bona was the latest Sixers draft pick at the center position. Coming out of UCLA, Bona was taken in the second round last year. While that typically leads to a lot of playing time at the G League level, injuries to Embiid and Andre Drummond led the Sixers to roll out Bona much more than expected.
In 58 games, Bona averaged six points on 70 percent shooting from the field. He also came down with four rebounds per game and averaged 1.2 blocks.
Bona is still a work in progress, which is expected for a 41st overall pick. But Daryl Morey has mentioned him enough times this offseason to suggest that Bona is going to get a legitimate shot at becoming Embiid’s backup for the 2025-2026 season.
The Sixers probably have a better chance of trading back to be in a position to select Maluach later rather than spending their third-overall pick on the Duke center.
While Morey seems confident in keeping the pick at this time, the right offer could shift the President of Basketball Ops’ thinking. Either way, the Sixers aren’t going into the draft thinking about draft based on need. At No. 3, they’ll take the best player on the board. As it’s widely assumed that Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper will be the first two off the board, Ace Bailey and VJ Edgecombe have been debated as the third-best prospects in the draft.
A lot can happen over the next month. For the time being, Maluach might be too much of a reach for Philly, where they are currently at in the draft order.
