Mar 21, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Baylor Bears guard VJ Edgecombe (7) has the ball against the Mississippi State Bulldogs during the second half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Zachary Taft-Imagn Images Zachary Taft-Imagn Images

Mock Draft Suggests Wild-Card Move for Philadelphia 76ers

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Eric Jay Santos | Last updated Jun 13, 2025 9:37 AM ET

The 2025 NBA Draft is less than two weeks away, and the Philadelphia 76ers have plenty of options for their third-overall pick. The Athletic’s Sam Vecenie projects the 76ers will trade the No. 3 pick and Andre Drummond to the Charlotte Hornets for the No.4 and No. 32 picks.

“No deal is close, and I’m sure the Sixers will continue to field offers until they get exactly what they want. But the most logical move is to trade down. At No. 3, the Sixers are atop a talent tier led by Edgecombe, Tre Johnson, Kon Knueppel and Ace Bailey. Some evaluators around the league would also throw Khaman Maluach and Jeremiah Fears into this group, and others would place prospects like Edgecombe and Bailey ahead and into their own mini-tier. For the Sixers, none of these prospects makes perfect sense.”

Vecenie believes that the Hornets may use the pick to select VJ Edgecombe. The 6-foot-4 guard averaged 15.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, and 3.2 assists during his lone season at Baylor.

“If the Hornets think he’s the guy, paying one of your two second-round selections while taking on Drummond’s $5 million this year is worth trading up. The Sixers get financial flexibility by taking the Drummond deal off their books and would have an additional asset at the top of the second round. Maybe they could move into the latter portion of the first round? Sell it for future picks? They’d have options.”

Trading away their first-round pick may be a beneficial move for the 76ers, as reports suggest a high-level starter ceiling for prospects after Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper. Whether it be with the Hornets or another proper trade partner, the organization should be accepting calls.

This article first appeared on Philadelphia 76ers on SI and was syndicated with permission.

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