Sixers seem to be positioning to stick and pick at third overall
The 2025 NBA Draft Lottery has come and gone, and everyone around the Philadelphia 76ers went through the emotional ringer, all the way up to President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey.
However, the disaster scenario was averted and the Sixers were able to keep their pick, landing at third overall. Now, the question becomes, what does Philadelphia do with it?
Logically, a strong argument can be made for trading down. The consensus around this draft class is that Cooper Flagg is the no-brainer, generational pick at No. 1, with Dylan Harper a clear choice at second overall. Then, there’s a wide tier where you can make the case for any number of players. So if someone like New Orleans at No. 7 or Brooklyn at No. 8 wanted to move up, and the Sixers could acquire additional draft capital while still remaining in that same tier with their first selection, it could be a very smart move.
In parsing the post-lottery comments from the Sixers brass, though, it doesn’t seem like a trade down is in the cards. We look to be in store for what they term in NFL circles a stick and pick. Now, I acknowledge this could all be posturing for leverage. No one wants the Sixers to pull from the Elton Brand School of Telegraphing Your Intentions so the Celtics can Steal a Draft Pick. Still, these are pretty clear remarks.
Daryl Morey said during his post-lottery availability that, at this moment, the plan is for the Sixers to keep their No. 3 overall pick. "We think this draft is different. We really think this draft is really strong at the top, especially in the top 3, and we’re very excited."
— Gina Mizell (@ginamizell.bsky.social) 2025-05-13T00:24:10.252Z
— 97.5 The Fanatic (@975TheFanatic) May 13, 2025"Yeah, we won't take that into account. If the best player is a guard, we'll take a guard there."
- Daryl Morey told Kincade & Salciunas that, regardless of need, the Sixers will take the best player available.
-Bill Streicher-Imagn Images pic.twitter.com/tz22Cqv6Jv
— Philly Sixers Galaxy (@sixers_galaxy) May 13, 2025“[Everyone knows] who’s going number one, and then we got one team that can pick one of the two other guys that we want—so we have a couple [players available to choose from] and we’re in good shape.”
- Nick Nurse on @MikeGillShow (via @nearnshawradio)
There’s no mention of “It’s terrific to be as high as possible because that presents you with even more opportunities” or “We’re in a really advantageous position and I’m sure calls will be coming in” from Morey and company. The Nurse comment is particularly intriguing because it seems like the Sixers already have a guy in mind for No. 3. You can imagine Harper falls into the “two other guys that we want” category if the San Antonio Spurs were to unexpectedly go in a different direction. But the other person on the Sixers’ list remains a mystery. The most commonly discussed candidates are V.J. Edgecombe, Ace Bailey and Tre Johnson, but we don’t really know for sure at this point.
Regardless, drafting has been the area where Daryl Morey has really shined during his Sixers tenure. If stick and pick is the decision, we should trust the scouting department’s evaluation. Now that Morey has premium draft capital to work with, we can be really excited at what the future might hold.
