After lottery luck, 76ers have intriguing options heading into 2025 NBA Draft

Good luck and the Philadelphia 76ers haven't belonged in the same sentence recently. The organization hasn't enjoyed much luck in recent years, but the Sixers finally caught a break at the 2025 NBA Draft lottery. With their future potentially hanging in the balance, the Sixers struck gold, or close to it, by landing a top-3 pick in the upcoming draft.

There was a lot at stake for Philly headed into the lottery, as their pick was top-6 protected stemming from the trade that sent Al Horford to the Oklahoma City Thunder back in 2020. If the pick fell out of the top six, it would transfer over to the already deep -- and young -- Thunder. The odds of that happening were far from minimal.

While the Sixers had a 64 percent chance of keeping the pick, there was a 36 percent chance that the evening of the lottery would end in sadness and pain for Philly fans. But, luck was on the Sixers' side as they landed the No. 3 overall pick in a decently deep and highly-hyped draft class.

Now, the 76ers have some intriguing options heading into the draft.

The most likely scenario is that the Sixers keep the pick and use it to add a top-tier talent to supplement their young core that already includes Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain. If that scenario plays out, they'll have several promising prospects to choose from.

There's bouncy Rutgers forward Ace Bailey, who compared his own game to guys like Kevin Durant, Paul George and Jayson Tatum. There's also Baylor Bears guard V. J. Edgecombe, who has drawn comparisons to Russell Westbrook. Texas wing Tre Johnson might be the best pure shooter in the draft, and is a guy who projects to fit nicely alongside the likes of Joel Embiid, George and Maxey.

There also could be a world where the San Antonio Spurs go in a different direction with the No. 2 overall pick and Rutgers guard Dylan Harper falls in Philadelphia's lap. Harper is a major talent who likened his own game to James Harden, Cade Cunningham and Shai Gilgeous-Alexander. That situation seems unlikely, but it will remain a possibility until the pick is made official. Any of those guys could give the Sixers a big boost, both in the present and the future.

There might be some who say that the Sixers don't need another guard, but president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has made it clear that if the Sixers keep the pick, he plans to select the best available player, regardless of position.

"Yeah, we won't take that into account," Morey said. "If the best player is a guard, we'll take a guard there."

The possibility that the Sixers could look to trade back in the draft also exists. This situation will only occur if the organization isn't enamored with anyone at the third spot, and could gain an additional asset for dropping back a few spots.

For instance, the Utah Jazz have two picks in the first round of the draft this year -- Nos. 5 and 21. Similarly, the Washington Wizards have pick Nos. 6 and 18. If one of those teams wanted to move up a couple spots in order to secure a player they're interested in and offered both of their first round picks in order to do so, that's something that the Sixers could consider. The Sixers could infuse some serious youth into their rotation -- Morey's stated offseason goal -- with two first round picks this year.

Or, if a team was offering a first round pick this year and a first next year, that could potentially be intriguing for Philly, as the Sixers are likely to lose their first-round pick in '26. Since their first-rounder didn't convey to the Thunder this year, it's now top-four protected next year, and if all goes according to plan, the Sixers won't be in contention for a top lottery landing again next year. So, trading back could present a way for them to recoup a pick in the first round next year.

The trade-back scenario certainly seems less likely than the Sixers simply staying put and selecting the B.P.A. at No. 3. The team could also move the pick in some sort of blockbuster deal leading up to the draft, but that feels like the least likely option.

Ultimately, what the Sixers should do will likely be a topic of debate among the fanbase for the next month or so until draft day. But, the fact that they even have these various options to consider is much better than the alternative of losing the pick. At least that didn't happen.

Follow Michael Kaskey-Blomain on X @therealmikekb.