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The Philadelphia 76ers are widely expected to trade away the first-round pick they have in the 2024 NBA Draft. But for the time being, they own a pretty solid selection that could allow them to add more young, cost-controlled talent around Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
The Sixers own the 16th overall selection in this month’s draft. All the discussion about the 2024 class being weak is about the names at the top, which don’t feature any prospects with apparent superstar upside. In the range where the Sixers are picking, they should be able to add a player who can make an impact for them, even if that player doesn’t become a star-level talent. Hitting on picks like these can go a long way toward building a good, sustainable team.
Of course, the Sixers have been rumored by several reports to be likely to trade the draft pick in exchange for more ready-now talent. Whether that pick is used to land a star in a trade or used after the draft to trade for a veteran role player that supports a free-agency splash, the odds that the No. 16 overall pick starts the 2024-25 season in Philly seem low, or at least lower than the other teams in that range.
Still, mock drafts from ClutchPoints and various other outlets have predicted which player makes sense for Philly at No. 16 overall. Each draft will be linked with a blurb from each one written in italics.
ClutchPoints: Ja'Kobe Walter, Baylor
ClutchPoints' NBA reporter Brett Siegel has the Sixers selecting a bucket-getting guard whose main intrigue comes from his upside. It may take some polishing for the results from Walter to show. But if Philly is patient enough, those results could be really good.
While he is still 19 years old and not as experienced, Walter could be one of the only young talents the 76ers have on their roster in the midst of competing for the top spot in the Eastern Conference. Even though they want experienced players, the Sixers must find ways to still build some sort of young group on their bench for future value. Walter can absolutely be a player who grows into an X-factor for a team like the 76ers because of his perimeter scoring prowess.
Bleacher Report: Isaiah Collier, USC
Jonathan Wasserman has the Sixers picking a guard from USC, though not the one with the famous dad — apparently he’s famous for playing hoops, too. Having a big, downhill threat like Collier next to a spectacular shooter in Maxey would make for a great blend of complementary skills in the backcourt.
Still, the draw to Collier is his shiftiness for creativity, physicality attacking and finishing and live-dribble passing skill. Teams that think his jump shot and decision-making should improve will see more upside than those worried about his low-volume three-point numbers and turnovers. But even teams who have those concerns may be interested in Collier's ability to break down defenses, make plays off the bounce and put pressure on the rim.
ESPN: Jared McCain, Duke
Jonathan Givony and Jeremy Woo have the Sixers drafting one of the very best shooters in the whole class. It's never a bad idea to bank on a prospect that has a surefire, NBA-ready skill. Even though McCain's abilities to create in the halfcourt and make plays for others are not as great as they should be for a guard without explosive athleticism, he plays hard on both ends and can be a contributor from day one with his floor-spacing prowess.
Depending on who falls, Philadelphia is in position to draft the best available prospect at No. 16 but should be angling to grab a cost-controlled role player to contribute during this window as Joel Embiid enters his 30s and rising star Tyrese Maxey is ticketed for a big contract. The level of spacing and versatility McCain provides on offense should be attractive to the Sixers. Expect this pick to surface in trade conversations, as has been team president Daryl Morey's M.O. for quite some time
The Athletic: Ja'Kobe Walter, Baylor
Sam Vecenie also has the Sixers picking Walter, though his write-up of the Baylor guard underscores how much more room he has to improve. The draft is always seen as a crapshoot, so taking a swing at a player with a lot of perceived upside makes sense. Having two stars alongside him can help him cover up his flaws while flaunting his shooting abilities.
Walter had an up-and-down season, averaging 14.5 points and 4.4 rebounds per game. He was an inconsistent shooter, although teams don’t worry about his long-term upside there. His shot looks clean and he can make them from a variety of situations.
Teams, however, worry about everything else. Walter isn’t really a lead guard because he doesn’t see the floor well as a passer. Defensively, Walter struggled at times to stay in front of players.
theScore: Tristan da Silva, Colorado
Chicco Nacion and Matthew Winick have the Sixers taking da Silva, a very smart, big forward who knows how to be impactful without commanding the ball. He told Siegel that his four seasons with the Buffaloes gave him a much better idea of his strengths and weaknesses as he grew into a top option over his collegiate career.
As a jumbo forward with great mobility, defensive versatility, and a consistent catch-and-shoot jumper, Da Silva is everything teams look for in a complementary power forward in today's NBA. With the 76ers' forward spot looking iffy after a poor postseason from Tobias Harris, Da Silva's strengths off the ball could make him a much better fit alongside Joel Embiid. And with increased on-ball reps, he could reach the ceiling of a stretch-four like Kyle Kuzma.
SB Nation: Tyler Smith, G League Ignite
Ricky O'Donnell has the Sixers adding a player who projects to be an ideal starter at the four spot next to Embiid. Smith’s defense is indeed a major work in progress but shooters at his size are rare. He's the type of youngster who projects to have a role from the get-go but with some upside to become more.
Smith was the only player on the G League Ignite roster who qualified as a pleasant surprise this year. The 6’11 forward came over from Overtime Elite and immediately proved he had deep shooting range, tough shot-making ability, and the athleticism to finish inside. Smith hit 36 percent of his threes on 161 attempts this year, showing an effortless spot-up shooting stroke that’s hard to contest at his size. Smith also showcases good explosion off the ground as a play finisher, particularly when he doesn’t have to fight through contact. His defense is a mess, but there’s plenty of time to figure out that end of the floor when you can shoot like this.
No Ceilings: Kyle Filipowski, Duke
The NBA Draft gurus at No Ceilings have the Sixers picking a big man at No. 16, though one that they believe can fit alongside Embiid. Philly didn’t show much desire to play with two bigs on the court last season but perhaps with one like the Duke product, the team would try it out more.
There aren’t very many 7-footers in the NBA that can do the things that Kyle Filipowski can do on offense. There also aren’t many teams that can play two 7-footers next to each other and still be able to function on both sides of the ball. “Flip” has the ability to dribble-pass-shoot, and could easily line up as the four for the Sixers. He and Joel Embiid can space the floor for one another. Kyle running a DHO with Tyrese Maxey could prove to be very potent.
The Ringer: Tristan da Silva, Colorado
Kevin O'Connor also has the Sixers going with da Silva, a selection that was endorsed by a college basketball broadcaster/writer for FOX Sports.
On the latest episode of The Ringer’s NBA Draft Show, I asked my guest John Fanta what his favorite fit for da Silva was. He mentioned the Sixers, which I think is spot-on. The Sixers have Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey under contract … and that’s about it. With his reliable two-way skill-set, da Silva would be a perfect glue guy next to them.
Yahoo! Sports: Devin Carter, Providence
Krysten Peek has the Sixers taking a high-motor guard that has greatly improved as a shooter. Carter thinks he would be a great fit with Maxey — and he’s got plenty of reasons to believe that. He's a tough defender and a versatile player on offense.
Carter is one of the best two-way guards in the draft. He can come into an established 76ers backcourt and give good minutes with the second unit. During his junior season, he averaged 19.7 points and 3.6 assists per game and capped his college career with 27 points and eight rebounds against a very talented Marquette team.
CBS: Tristan da Silva, Colorado
Colin Ward-Henninger has the Sixers going with a familiar face. If Philly wants to prioritize a player who is ready to contribute right away, da Silva would be a great choice.
The Sixers are in win-now mode during Joel Embiid's prime, and Da Silva is one of the most NBA-ready players in the draft with the size, frame and skill set to contribute immediately. He's a great cutter who finishes creatively around the basket to make up for his lack of explosiveness, and he profiles as an average to above-average 3-point shooter. Defensively, his basketball IQ is constantly on display and he can guard multiple positions. Da Silva could easily step into a Philadelphia frontcourt rotation that lacks depth.
Rookie Wire: Ja'Kobe Walter, Baylor
Cody Taylor has the Sixers going with Walter, too. His draft stock took a hit this past season but the potential for Walter to be a two-way impact next to Maxey as the shooting guard.
The 19-year-old can get to his spots well, pull up from virtually everywhere and finish at the rim. He can also lock up on defense. The Sixers will likely take the best prospect available, which points to Walter, who was considered a potential top-five pick at the start of the year.
Hoop Intellect: Jared McCain, Duke
Keandre Ashley has the Sixers going with McCain, who he believes should fit in a lot of different contexts. This essentially seems like Philly picking the best player available, which isn’t a bad idea for a selection just outside of the lottery.
I like what he brings as a three-point shooter, secondary playmaker and solid defender and think he'd bring a steadiness to their backcourt rotation for years to come. He's the type of player I think is going to figure it out wherever he lands and he should complement this team’s stars pretty well.
Here is the list of each selection from the 12 mock drafts.
- 3 — Tristan da Silva, Colorado
- 3 — Ja'Kobe Walter, Baylor
- 3 — Jared McCain, Duke
- 1 — Devin Carter, Providence
- 1 – Isaiah Collier, USC
- 1 — Kyle Filipowski, Duke
Round 2 picks
In addition to their first-rounder, the 76ers have the 41st overall selection. Having a pick in the top half of the second round gives them another shot at adding a young player to develop, though since the chances of finding a rotation player are much lower, this pick is more likely to be utilized in a trade.
For the mocks that included the second round, here are the players that the experts think the Sixers will select if they keep the pick.
- KJ Simpson, Colorado (ClutchPoints and The Ringer)
- Jonathan Mogbo, San Francisco (Bleacher Report and ESPN)
- Oso Ighodaro, Marquette (The Athletic)
- N'Faly Dante, Oregon (Yahoo! Sports)
- Jamal Shead, Houston (No Ceilings)
- Melvin Ajinca, Saint-Quentin, France (Rookie Wire)
- Jamir Watkins, Florida State (Hoop Intellect)
