For the last couple of weeks, the Philadelphia 76ers’ rumor mill has been centered around a potential trade back away from the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. This week’s flavor is the team is considering a potential trade up to acquire the San Antonio Spurs’ No. 2 pick.
If the Sixers were to move up one spot, they would likely acquire the Rutgers star, Dylan Harper. Since March Madness, Harper has been recognized as the consensus No. 2 pick behind Duke’s Cooper Flagg.
What would it take for the Sixers to move into that spot to land the Rutgers star? PHLY’s Kyle Neubeck “expects” those trade talks to be centered around one of Philadelphia’s key draft assets beyond this year’s third pick.
“I would expect that it starts and ends with, will you trade the 2028 Clippers pick?” Neubeck said this week.
Two Octobers ago, the Sixers struck a deal with the LA Clippers to send James Harden, PJ Tucker, and Filip Petrusev out west in order to acquire a handful of expiring veterans and a first-round pick. As many believe the Clippers’ championship window could be closed by 2028, that pick has been viewed as quite valuable over the past year.
If the two picks are able to move the needle for a prospect like Harper, Neubeck believes the Sixers should cash in the asset early.
Trade up for Dylan Harper? 🤔 pic.twitter.com/YqSz6gTnLd
— PHLY Sixers (@PHLY_Sixers) June 12, 2025
“For me, I think that’s an easy yes. It is a valuable pick, but the whole reason you covet a pick like that is so you can hopefully turn that into a franchise centerpiece,” he explained.
“I believe Dylan Harper’s got like, multi-time All-Star potential. Like, a narrow path to an All-NBA future, but definitely All-Star potential within him. If you believe that, that’s the exact scenario that you accumulate these kinds of assets for. Harper just makes sense next to all these guys, but also does something different than they do.”
The chances of the Sixers making a swap with the Spurs seem low right now, but there is still plenty of time left for Philly and San Antonio to make a deal.
Harper enters the NBA Draft coming off of a 29-game run at Rutgers. He averaged 19 points, four assists, and five rebounds. The freshman guard made 48 percent of his field goals, 33 percent of his threes, and 75 percent of his free throws.
Many draft analysts have suggested that the drop-off from Flagg and Harper to Ace Bailey and VJ Edgecombe is a little steep. Based on recent reports, the Sixers seem torn at No. 3. If they view Harper as a potential franchise centerpiece to match with Tyrese Maxey, Joel Embiid, and Paul George, the Sixers should strongly consider parting ways with some valuable assets not only to help their chances of winning now, but building for a strong future.
