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Placed fifth in the NBA Draft Lottery standings, the Philadelphia 76ers have a strong shot at picking up a top-four selection. When the lottery is playing out, the Sixers have over a 40 percent chance of getting a pick placed between one and four. They have a 10.5 percent chance of winning the No. 1 pick.
This week, a mock draft simulation from Bleacher Report put the Sixers in a favorable spot. Picking up the No. 2 pick, the Sixers weren’t in a position to take Duke’s Cooper Flagg in this scenario, but they got what many view as the next-best prospect in Dylan Harper out of Rutgers.
“Harper pairs phenomenal footwork with craftiness and prodigious scoring ability around the basket. His high-end speed isn't blazing, but it can feel that way due to his ability to change pace in an instant and his turbo-charged quicks. … In a multi-creator offense like Harper would have in Philadelphia, though, he could wreak havoc as a wing-creator who isn't overtaxed on offense and is therefore able to give more consistent defensive effort than he showed at Rutgers.” via BR’s Zach Buckley
No matter where Philly falls, if they keep the pick, they are going to take the best player available over looking for the best fit. Take the top talent, and figure the rest out later.
So far, that strategy has worked well for the Sixers in past first rounds. Philly has seemingly hit on two of their last three first-round selections. Jaden Springer might not have panned out as a late pick, but Tyrese Maxey is an All-Star-caliber player at this stage of his career, while Jared McCain received legitimate Rookie of the Year love before going down with a knee injury in December.
Harper leaves Rutgers as a co-star alongside Ace Bailey, who is also getting top-three projections for the upcoming draft. Just two years ago, Harper was NJ.com’s Boys Basketball Player of the Year, representing Don Bosco Prep in New Jersey. He stuck around in the state to play 29 games for Rutgers.
During his time in the NCAA, Harper hit on 48 percent of his field goals, making 33 percent of his threes. He produced 19 points per game, along with dishing out four assists and coming down with five rebounds on average.
The Sixers hope the season that put them in a position to make a potentially top-two selection was a fluke. Facing constant injuries to the core group, the Sixers were one of the worst teams in the NBA in 2024-2025, despite entering the year with championship goals.
Any addition through the draft won’t have immediate pressure to play a large role off the bat, but a slight change in roster-building philosophy could give somebody like Harper an opportunity to garner a day-one role on a championship-hopeful team, unlike most of the teams in position to potentially select him.
More 76ers on SI
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TODAY'S BEST
Report: Steelers turned down wild trade from Commanders for Terry McLaurin
The Pittsburgh Steelers' wide receiver situation has once again stolen attention heading into the season. The team has DK Metcalf, Calvin Austin III and Roman Wilson ready to lead the way, along with tight ends Pat Freiermuth, Jonnu Smith and Darnell Washington. That is a solid group of pass-catchers for Aaron Rodgers to work with, but many fans remain concerned about depth and the inevitable injuries that occur in the NFL. In a league where it is truly next man up, even one significant injury can dramatically affect a team’s offensive production. On Tuesday, new details emerged revealing that the Washington Commanders reportedly made a wild trade offer to Steelers general manager Omar Khan. Insider Andrew Fillipponi reported on 93.7 The Fan that a former NFL assistant GM said the offer included a second-round draft pick and Freiermuth in exchange for star wide receiver Terry McLaurin. "But one thing that did get thrown out at me from a guy who used to be an assistant general manager in the NFL, was the following trade proposal: He thinks Washington floated this to the Steelers, and it got quickly shut down.... He thinks Washington pushed for this deal and the Steelers were the ones who laughed at it." Such a blockbuster move would have dramatically reshaped Pittsburgh’s offense, but the team ultimately decided to pass. The Steelers would have been unwise to accept it. Trading a young tight end and a second-round pick for a talented but 29-year-old wide receiver who would demand top-tier money at the position would have been financially imprudent for the organization. That is likely why the team quickly dismissed the idea of such a wild trade. Still, it is intriguing to see that Pittsburgh may have been presented with a path to acquire McLaurin, even if it would have been a clearly bad deal. Steelers' 2025 season set to draw tons of extra attention The 2025 season is drawing a lot of attention, largely due to the addition of new faces on offense such as Rodgers and Metcalf. The two are expected to form a lethal duo, but concerns remain about the depth beyond Metcalf. That is why many Steelers fans feel that adding one more offensive weapon would provide greater comfort heading into the season. If the Steelers see a good deal that makes sense and improves their roster, they will take it, but for now, they appear to be staying patient. Khan is as aggressive as they come as of late. He's got his eyes set on bringing a Super Bowl back to Pittsburgh. Whether it can happen in the 2025 season remains to be seen. However, anything is truly possible in the NFL.
Chicago Bears looking at bringing back familiar face at running back
The Chicago Bears don’t appear satisfied with their running back room with one week left to decide the 53-man roster. The Bears have until Aug. 26 to make their final cuts before preparing for the Minnesota Vikings in Week 1. The Bears entered training camp with questions at running back. Veteran D’Andre Swift had a down year in 2024. Roschon Johnson isn’t a long-term solution, and seventh-round pick Kyle Monangai will have a steep learning curve when the regular season begins. The Chicago Bears worked out a former running back Per Aaron Wilson of KPRC, the Bears worked out running backs Royce Freeman, undrafted rookie Kylin James and former Carolina Panthers practice-squad player Dillon Johnson. Royce Freeman played with the Bears in 2024 Of the three, Freeman is the only running back with stats at the NFL level. Freeman, a third-round pick by the Denver Broncos in 2018, has appeared in 79 games and started nine games. He’s rushed 471 times for 1,472 yards and 10 touchdowns. The Bears signed Freeman to the practice squad in December. He was then signed to the Los Angeles Rams practice squad in January. He last played a regular-season game in 2023, when he added 319 yards and two touchdowns in 14 games for the Rams. The Bears are signaling their need for a running back this summer. There are other options available in the trade market, as the Washington Commanders are shopping Brian Robinson Jr. during the preseason. More running backs will be available after other teams trim their rosters to 53 players, but they might not be the type of athletes to make a significant boost for the offense early in the regular season.
Chicago White Sox Rookie Leaves Game With Injury
The White Sox snapped their four-game losing streak on Monday night at Truist Park in emphatic fashion. The offense had been quiet of late, scoring just five runs over the last four games, but it exploded for a season-high 13 runs and 19 hits in the 13-9 victory. Brooks Baldwin, Luis Robert Jr., Lenyn Sosa and Kyle Teel each hit home runs and eight White Sox drove in at least one run. The only starter who did not record a hit was rookie shortstop Colson Montgomery, who left in the sixth inning with what the team announced as left side soreness. After working a seven-pitch walk, Montgomery was seen grimacing and placing his hand on his side while standing on first base. He stayed in the game as Sosa gave the White Sox a 10-1 lead with a three-run home run in the next at-bat. But when the team came out for the bottom of the sixth inning, manager Will Venable made some defensive changes. Curtis Mead entered the game at first base, Lenyn Sosa moved to second base, Chase Meidroth shifted to shortstop to replace Montgomery. "I just took a swing on a foul ball and I kind of felt a little bit of a stretch," Montgomery said postgame, per MLB.com's Scott Merkin. "But I mean nothing crazy or anything like that. Got on first and they saw I was feeling for it and they asked me if I felt something and I was like yeah, but nothing too serious." Montgomery, 23, made history earlier in the season as he became the first rookie and the youngest player in White Sox history to hit 10 home runs in an 18-game span from July 22 to Aug. 11. It took Montgomery just 32 games to hit 10 home runs, good for the third-fastest pace in White Sox history. Zeke Bonura hit 10 home runs in his first 25 games in 1934, and in 2014 Jose Abreu slugged 10 long balls in 26 games, per MLB.com's Sarah Langs. Following his 10th home run, Montgomery's OPS had risen to .876 and he ranked third in MLB with 24 RBIs since the All-Stat break. He's cooled off since that point, though, going 3-for-24 with one double, no home runs, two RBIs, one walk and eight strikeouts over the last six games. A 2021 first-round draft pick, Montgomery was the White Sox top prospect from 2022-24. Through 38 games and 145 plate appearances, he's slashing .220/.285/.492/.777 with 10 home runs, four doubles, 19 runs, one triple, 28 RBIs, 11 walks and 42 strikeouts. He's tied for fourth among White Sox position players at 1.0 wins above replacement, per FanGraphs. The White Sox continue their three-game series in Atlanta on Tuesday at 6:15 p.m. CT.
What Nordi Mukiele Brings to Sunderland’s Premier League Project
In a great start to the season for Sunderland, we have been able to see how the 3-0 victory against West Ham undoubtedly boosted the team to a great team spirit for what will be the beginning of the season. But it also came with great reinforcements to have a highly competitive squad, and one of the big signings was Nordi Mukiele, who joined the team for a transfer of €12 million, where now he has become the center of attention of the team. And if his time at Leipzig, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayer Leverkusen meant a great leap in category, now arriving to play in the Premier League, Nordi Mukiele can contribute very positive things to Sunderland. Nordi Mukiele, a reinforcement with experience in Europe As expected, we will see a right back fast in attack, an important piece that will surely be able to provide assists to Sunderland’s attackers. But Nordi Mukiele can also provide solidity in defense, and if in the last season we saw that with Bayer Leverkusen he played a total of 24 matches, adding more than 1,400 minutes, scoring two goals and giving one assist, he is a player that undoubtedly has much to contribute to Sunderland. His journey in one of the best teams in the world such as PSG also gives the great step that he can undoubtedly bring some of that winning mentality that he was able to share with great players like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Neymar Jr and others. To ensure that the Frenchman also comes to bring his leadership in the defensive zone, but he must be aware that the Premier League are the most competitive league in the world and one must be consistent in order to survive in England. Yahoo Sports revealed statements from Sunderland sporting director Kristjaan Speakman, who undoubtedly emphasized that his career can't be compared to that of many Premier League full-backs, and this is a plus for the team. He has had various experiences in Europe, including the Champions League, and now he is motivated to show his talent with Sunderland AFC in the Premier League. We are delighted to close this deal. Kristjaan Speakman This is a signing that will be with the team for several years, with a contract until June 2029, and he will give much to talk about at Sunderland, especially now that they are second in the Premier League, only behind Manchester City by goal difference. But the Frenchman Nordi Mukiele will give much to talk about regarding his integration into Regis Le Bris’ team. Follow Our X Channel: @SunderlandOnSI Read More:
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