Sixers get some light at end of tunnel, land No. 3 pick in draft lottery originally appeared on NBC Sports Philadelphia
There’s suddenly some light at the end of the Sixers’ tunnel.
Following an injury-ruined, 24-58 season, the Sixers snagged the No. 3 pick in Monday night’s NBA draft lottery. The Spurs got the No. 2 pick and the Mavs have No. 1.
The Sixers entered the lottery with a 63.9 percent chance of keeping a top-six pick and a 10.6 percent chance of landing at No. 3.
Any selection below No. 6 would have conveyed to the Thunder as a condition of the Sixers’ 2020 trade with Oklahoma City. The Sixers’ first-rounder will now be top-four protected for 2026 and, if necessary, 2027. In the unlikely event the Sixers have not conveyed a first-round pick to OKC by 2027, they’ll owe the Thunder their second-rounder that year.
In addition to No. 3, the Sixers hold the No. 35 overall pick in the 2025 draft.
No one expected a tense, meaningful lottery night for the Sixers at the start of the 2024-25 season. Led by three All-Stars the prior year in Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George, the Sixers believed a championship was possible. They set an all-time NBA record by using 54 different starting lineups.
Who might the Sixers take at No. 3? While Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper are widely projected to be the first two picks, there’s much less agreement among experts after that.
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey’s philosophy is to draft the best player available, though it would be surprising if the team selected a center with superstar big man Joel Embiid on the team. It’s also notable that, if the Sixers re-sign Quentin Grimes in restricted free agency, the team will have several guards 6-foot-4 or under in key roles. One of them is 21-year-old Jared McCain, who represented the Sixers at the lottery.
At the moment, Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe, Rutgers wing Ace Bailey, Texas guard Tre Johnson, Duke wing Kon Knueppel and Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis are prospects generally viewed in the No. 3 through No. 10 range.
The Sixers have not held a lottery pick since 2018. The team drafted Mikal Bridges at No. 10 but traded him to the Suns in exchange for No. 16 pick Zhaire Smith and a 2021 first-rounder.
Sixers get some light at end of tunnel, land No. 3 pick in draft lottery
There’s suddenly some light at the end of the Sixers’ tunnel.
Following an injury-ruined, 24-58 season, the Sixers snagged the No. 3 pick in Monday night’s NBA draft lottery. The Spurs got the No. 2 pick and the Mavs have No. 1.
SIGN UP HERE The Sixers entered the lottery with a 63.9 percent chance of keeping a top-six pick and a 10.6 percent chance of landing at No. 3.
Any selection below No. 6 would have conveyed to the Thunder as a condition of the Sixers’ 2020 trade with Oklahoma City. The Sixers’ first-rounder will now be top-four protected for 2026 and, if necessary, 2027. In the unlikely event the Sixers have not conveyed a first-round pick to OKC by 2027, they’ll owe the Thunder their second-rounder that year.
In addition to No. 3, the Sixers hold the No. 35 overall pick in the 2025 draft.
No one expected a tense, meaningful lottery night for the Sixers at the start of the 2024-25 season. Led by three All-Stars the prior year in Joel Embiid, Tyrese Maxey and Paul George, the Sixers believed a championship was possible. They set an all-time NBA record by using 54 different starting lineups.
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Who might the Sixers take at No. 3? While Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper are widely projected to be the first two picks, there’s much less agreement among experts after that.
Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey’s philosophy is to draft the best player available, though it would be surprising if the team selected a center with superstar big man Joel Embiid on the team. It’s also notable that, if the Sixers re-sign Quentin Grimes in restricted free agency, the team will have several guards 6-foot-4 or under in key roles. One of them is 21-year-old Jared McCain, who represented the Sixers at the lottery.
At the moment, Baylor guard V.J. Edgecombe, Rutgers wing Ace Bailey, Texas guard Tre Johnson, Duke wing Kon Knueppel and Illinois guard Kasparas Jakucionis are prospects generally viewed in the No. 3 through No. 10 range.
The Sixers have not held a lottery pick since 2018. The team drafted Mikal Bridges at No. 10 but traded him to the Suns in exchange for No. 16 pick Zhaire Smith and a 2021 first-rounder.
