76ers avoid conveying Thunder pick in 2025, but aren't out of the woods
The Philadelphia 76ers secured the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, ensuring that the first-round pick traded in the Al Horford deal won't go to the Oklahoma City Thunder this year. This development is seen as a positive outcome despite not being the best-case scenario, as it avoids giving the Thunder a high lottery pick. The pick now becomes a top-four protected pick for future drafts, meaning the Sixers could still escape conveying it under certain conditions in 2026 and 2027. With Joel Embiid and Paul George expected to return healthy next season, the team is optimistic about a rebound, reducing the risk of conveying a valuable pick. While the trade initially helped resolve the Horford situation, the priority remains to avoid transferring a high draft pick to the Thunder in the future.
Context:
The Philadelphia 76ers secured the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, ensuring that the first-round pick traded in the Al Horford deal won't go to the Oklahoma City Thunder this year. This development is seen as a positive outcome despite not being the best-case scenario, as it avoids giving the Thunder a high lottery pick. The pick now becomes a top-four protected pick for future drafts, meaning the Sixers could still escape conveying it under certain conditions in 2026 and 2027. With Joel Embiid and Paul George expected to return healthy next season, the team is optimistic about a rebound, reducing the risk of conveying a valuable pick. While the trade initially helped resolve the Horford situation, the priority remains to avoid transferring a high draft pick to the Thunder in the future.
Dive Deeper:
The Philadelphia 76ers managed to avoid conveying their first-round pick to the Oklahoma City Thunder by securing the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft, which was a significant relief despite not being the best scenario.
This pick, initially part of the Al Horford trade, now transitions into a top-four protected pick for future drafts, making it less likely the Thunder will receive it in 2026 or 2027 unless the Sixers encounter similar lottery outcomes.
A healthy return of key players like Joel Embiid and Paul George next season is expected to enhance the team's performance and reduce the likelihood of conveying a high pick, providing hope for a successful bounce-back year.
If the pick is not conveyed by 2027, the Sixers will instead send their 2027 second-round pick to the Thunder, minimizing the risk of losing a valuable first-round pick.
The initial trade involving Horford was seen as a necessary move to resolve his contract situation, but the focus remains on ensuring the Thunder do not receive a high lottery pick, which could impact the Sixers' future prospects.
The Philadelphia 76ers didn’t win the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, but they still won big by getting the No. 3 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. Doing so means the first-round pick the Sixers traded with Al Horford back in 2020 won’t convey to the Oklahoma City Thunder this year.
This wasn’t the best scenario, but it's far from the worst. The team should gladly take what was given to them from the lottery. With the No. 3 pick, Philadelphia will be compensated well for such an awful season. However, the Sixers are not out of the woods yet with that pick owed to Oklahoma City.
Now that it won’t convey in 2025, that pick now becomes a top-four protected pick, making it even less likely the Sixers will get it next season if history repeats itself in 2026. Even if the Sixers get some lottery luck next year, it will be the same case in 2027. If it’s not conveyed by then, Philadelphia will convey their 2027 second-round pick to the Thunder.
Next season, the Sixers should have Joel Embiid and Paul George returning healthy after their 2025 seasons ended prematurely. With a fully healthy season from them, along with whoever Philadelphia picks with the No. 3 pick (if the team keeps it), the Sixers have every hope of bouncing back next season.
If that happens, Philadelphia wouldn’t have to worry about giving a high lottery pick in 2026 like they did in 2025. However, good health will factor into that. No one had a problem with the Sixers giving the Thunder a pick, as it bailed them out of the Horford disaster. It’s just giving them a high lottery pick that was a problem.
Crisis averted for now.
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