Decision Time

by Marc Narducci | Jun 16, 2025

There is no doubt that this offseason is going to be far more intriguing than the 76ers disastrous 24-58 regular season.

As the two-day NBA draft approaches on June 25, the Sixers have some moves that could certainly alter the franchise’s history.

Through the luck of the NBA draft lottery, they have the No. 3 pick in the draft, along with a second-round choice, No. 35 overall.

While Sixers president of basketball operations Daryl Morey has said that he will keep the pick, there continues to be speculation that the Sixers could trade it.

Either way, the Sixers hope to come out of the draft with a franchise-altering players(s).

Earlier, we looked at some of the key choices for the Sixers at No. 3 and there are some players who could indeed be impact NBA players. Actually, at No. 3, they better be impact players, but there are no guarantees.

Rutgers forward Ace Bailey was the early on favorite for the Sixers to choose, but recently, Baylor combo guard VJ Edgecombe has been receiving some buzz.

No matter how highly touted a rookie is, there is no guarantee that these players, especially such as Bailey and Edgecombe, who played just one season of college basketball, will be ready to go on a veteran NBA team.

Morey has alluded to the fact that he expects the Sixers to be contenders this coming season.

A lot has to go right for that to occur, beginning with the health of Joel Embiid.

If Embiid recovers from a lost season that consisted of just 19 games, then there is no reason why the Sixers can’t be competitive.

Yet, that is a big if.

Embiid is coming off knee surgery and his list of injuries over the years has been well documented.

The Sixers have said in various press conferences that they expect Embiid to be healthy.

Many will take a wait-and-see attitude on that one.

Embiid, as great as the seven-time all-star has been, will turn 32 in March. Injury-plagued big men don’t age well in the NBA.

If the Sixers are right and Embiid returns to his all-star form, then the Sixers could mean business.

And that brings the question as to whether they should put all their chips in the middle of the table and attempt to acquire a veteran who can help them immediately contend for a championship, or pick somebody at No. 3 who may not be an immediate contributor, but can be a future standout.

There is also the question on Paul George, who suffered through an injury-plagued first season with the Sixers, that saw him playing just half the games, 41.

And when he played, George wasn’t very effective. George turns 36 in May and has three years remaining on his contract, which averages about $54 million (with a player option the final season). The chances of George opting out of that contract don’t look very good right now.

Can George, a nine-time all-star, regain his form?

If the Sixers believe that both Embiid and George could be forces in the league, would that change their outlook on trying to get a veteran, or are the young players good enough to make an immediate impact on a team that feels it has a chance to compete for a title?

Either way, one thing is for sure. The Sixers can’t miss on the move.

Either they have to hit on the No. 3 pick (or if they trade down, hit on that pick), or they have to bring in a veteran who will move the needle.

There has also been speculation that the Sixers could trade with San Antonio for the No. 2 pick and a chance to draft Rutgers point guard Dylan Harper.

Quite frankly, the Sixers don’t seem to have enough desired assets, whether it is players or future picks, to entice the Spurs.

Yet, stranger things have happened.

There is so much going on and all that is at stake is the immediate future for a Sixers franchise that is running out of time to take advantage of having one of the NBA’s best players (Embiid) as long as he is healthy.

Photo: Ace Bailey / Courtesy of Rutgers Basketball

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Author: Marc Narducci

Decision Time

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