With the Sixers having the No. 3 overall pick, Daryl Morey has the optionality Sam Hinkie once dreamed of. Does he trade back and recoup more draft capital? Does he attempt to trade up for No. 2? Does he canvass the league for a young star to trade for? Or does he simply take a player?
I’m honestly just as curious as the rest of you, but I did my best to answer your most pressing questions.
The Brooklyn Nets seem like the ideal trade partner. They hold picks No. 8, 19, 26, 27 and 36. They also hold the Sixers’ protected 2028 first-rounder from the James Harden-Ben Simmons swap. The Nets also could use star power so if they love a prospect at No. 3, it would make sense. From the Sixers’ perspective, dropping to eight could get dicey as far as which players are available. That could be the deal-breaker.
Yossi Gozlan recently did a breakdown of the Sixers’ offseason, including draft trade ideas. He laid out two intriguing scenarios for trading back with the Utah Jazz (No. 5) or Washington Wizards (No. 6). I think the Sixers should have interest in both. The issue is that it might not be worth it for the Jazz or Wizards to move up. If the Sixers view all the prospects in the 3-6 range similarly, it’s likely those teams do as well.
And that’s sort of where I am right now — dropping to No. 8 might be too far and I’m not sure the teams at No. 5 or 6 will have much interest in moving up. Things can change, but I still lean toward the Sixers taking a player at No. 3.
For me, I still think drafting a player is the best option. I’m warming up on V.J. Edgecombe more and more. I see the way OKC is using all of these 6-foot-5 dogs to hound perimeter players — and all those guys can also make threes. Edgecombe’s floor is that, but with his athletic profile, he can be a whole lot more if he develops his handle and pull-up shooting.
Folks worry about size, having too many guards, blah blah blah. Have you watched 6-foot-5 Alex Caruso guard Nikola Jokic and Julius Randle this postseason? Have you watched Jrue Holiday … well, have you watched Jrue Holiday play defense? Edgecombe has the physical profile and mentality to affect the game like that defensively with plenty of offensive upside to boot.
I’m still in Camp Tre Johnson as well. With his mechanics and athletic profile, I think he could develop into one of the best shooters in the NBA with room to grow off the dribble and as a playmaker. While he needs to improve as a defender, he should be able to develop into (at least) a passable defender with his 6-foot-10 wingspan.
I’m leery of Ace Bailey’s red flags, but I’d understand the high upside swing. The Sixers could be in a unique position to develop him. He’d face no pressure to contribute immediately as an on-ball player, where his game needs the most work. He’d also get to learn from one of his idols in Paul George — who also happens to really love Bailey.
Bailey might be behind Edgecombe and Johnson on my list, but that doesn’t mean he’d be a bad pick. I’d give the Sixers the benefit of the doubt given their recent draft history.
Lumping these two together since the idea behind both is moving up to get Dylan Harper. Before I get into these scenarios, I think it’s important to preface there’s been zero indication that the Spurs have interest in trading No. 2. That’s likely because San Antonio is a very well-run organization and understands that you should always take the best player available, regardless of fit.
Entertaining the first idea, I would consider it. Who knows how many opportunities you’ll get to pick this high in the draft? And, to your point, who knows what the Clippers will look like in 2028? I understand they’re firmly L.A.’s second team, but they’re still in L.A. They should be able to attract free agents and/or be a potential landing spot for a disgruntled star. I wouldn’t expect Steve Ballmer to accept a blow-up style rebuild with his new arena just opening up. It’s still a valuable asset, but this could be an opportune time to use it — though again, I don’t see the Spurs being open to it.
I’m almost disturbed by all the folks throwing Jared McCain in fake trades (and that’s not picking on you — several people have suggested it). As I’ve said before, McCain is not untouchable, but giving him up after he’s already shown great promise at the NBA level AND the No. 3 pick seems awfully rich. I’m as big of a Dylan Harper fan as you’ll find. I think he’ll be a star. I also think McCain has the potential to be a star. If I’m the Spurs, I’d take this offer in a heartbeat. For that reason, I think it makes little sense for the Sixers.
Oh, now we’re getting weird (complimentary).
If any executive in the NBA would do something outrageously outside the box like this, it would be Sam Presti. The roster being so incredibly deep is a big reason they’re in the position they’re in. So would Presti use that position of strength to move a star for the No. 3 pick?
If they win a NBA championship and then turn around and flip Jalen Williams or Chet Holmgren because of future salary implications, that would be a rough look. I don’t think your notion is crazy though. We’ve already seen weird trades happen because of teams fearing the second apron. And if OKC fails to win it all, maybe they could sell the idea.
I think it’s extremely unlikely but I’ll entertain it for this mailbag.
For the Sixers, I would take Williams over Holmgren. Williams’ size and versatile defense make him an ideal fit next to Tyrese Maxey and McCain. I wish he shot threes a little better, but his ability as a playmaker along with the two guards would make it a nightmare for defenses. With that said, I would pull the trigger for Holmgren too. He’s freakish with his size and skill. There have certainly been times when he’s been bullied a bit in the playoffs, but he’s still only 23 with so much untapped potential on both ends.
I don’t see it happening, but if Morey and company decide to use the pick to trade for a player, this is the type of scenario you’d be looking at — acquiring a young star who will be due for an extension as Joel Embiid and Paul George’s contracts are set to expire.
