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Dec 15, 2023; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers resident of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey speaks with the media before a game against the Detroit Pistons at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

What the 76ers Shouldn't Do With Their Draft Pick

Originally posted on Philadelphia 76ers on SI
By Declan Harris | Last updated May 23, 2025 8:16 AM ET

In early May, the Philadelphia 76ers saw themselves land the third pick in the 2025 NBA draft, avoiding the prospect of having to forfeit their pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder had things gone differently. In the days that followed, the basketball world started to imagine what the Sixers' front office could do with their lottery pick, which includes potentially trading it away for a star, as reported by ESPN's Jonathan Givony.

"Some teams expect the Sixers to be active in trade conversations, with names such as Kevin Durant and Lauri Markkanen as potential targets in packages that could include Paul George and the No. 3 pick," reports Givony.

While there is a case to be made for flipping the pick, there's a case to be made arguing the opposite, seeing it as a clear mistake that could backfire on Philadelphia. The first aspect being that trading your team’s future for a star rarely works, with there being plenty of recent examples, oddly enough, both include the Sixers' potential target in the aforementioned Durant.

Trading the Farm for a Star Rarely Works

In July 2019, the Brooklyn Nets acquired Durant from the Golden State Warriors, a team with which he had won two championships. The 36-year-old was the first piece in Brooklyn's super team, which would ultimately consist of Kyrie Irving, James Harden, and Durant. Despite being a trio that, in theory, was capable of being the next big dynasty, they fell flat, only managing to make it to the Eastern Conference Semifinals in that infamous series against the Milwaukee Bucks.

When that big three came crashing to the ground, Durant departed the Big Apple for the Valley of the Sun as he joined the Phoenix Suns, with the Nets landing a haul of draft picks. This deal would see the Suns give up their immediate future in the draft for the veteran star to match up with Devin Booker and Bradley Beal, but it too would ultimately fall in the same way as the Nets did, coming up short in the second round of the Western Conference playoffs.

It wouldn't be a shock to see the Suns' front office seek out significant draft compensation for their star's talents. If the Sixers were to make a move and give up their lottery pick as well as other draft stock, it would be repeating Phoenix's mistakes.

A Step in the Right Direction

Another case going against the number three pick being traded away is that it’s what Philadelphia needs. In the 2024 draft, the Sixers selected Jared McCain and Adem Bona, before picking up Justin Edwards in free agency. All three made huge strides in their rookie campaigns showing that they could be the future faces of the franchise, adding yet another young talent to the list would only benefit Philadelphia.

This isn’t taking into account that it would exactly match one of Daryl Morey’s offseason goals in making the team “younger”. The upcoming draft class has plenty of potential that could help pave the way for a brighter future for the Sixers franchise.