At this point, it is difficult to find anyone who follows the Sixers that does not believe the team should shut down Joel Embiid as he deals with ongoing left knee troubles and punt on the remainder of the regular season. Embiid is a complete shell of himself on the court, incapable of moving at a speed anywhere close to his typical levels, and without him on the floor, the Sixers could focus on maximizing their odds of keeping their 2025 first-round pick, which will go to the Oklahoma City Thunder if it does not fall within the top six.
The Sixers appear to finally have landed in the same place, with the team reportedly considering surgery and other "alternative options" to treat his knee. It is becoming increasingly difficult to imagine Embiid suiting up again this season, and that means the primary focus for the next seven weeks or so could be on the draft lottery standings as the Sixers hope to add an exciting young talent to a nucleus featuring 24-year-old Tyrese Maxey, 21-year-old Jared McCain, 24-year-old Quentin Grimes, 21-year-old Justin Edwards and others.
In this week's 5 Sixers thoughts, let's get to know some of the biggest names in the upcoming draft class:
Cooper Flagg, Duke
The unquestioned prize of the class, Flagg is thought by many to be a generational talent. He is just about the consensus favorite to be the No. 1 overall pick no matter how the lottery shakes out, excellent thus far with the Blue Devils thanks first to what might be unparalleled defensive versatility and impact. Flagg is 6-foot-9 with long arms and thrives as a defensive playmaker, averaging 1.6 steals and 1.1 blocks in 31.5 minutes per game. Flagg is, without question, a special defensive prospect.
Some Cooper Flagg defense clips from his most recent game vs Wofford
Love his activity and eyes, both on- and off-ball. He can make a bit too many gambles when chasing steals, but it doesn't seem to matter as much because he's able to recover so well pic.twitter.com/jMdsrkyos4— Nick Kalinowski (@kalidrafts) November 17, 2024
Offensively, Flagg was by no means expected to be inept, but it was unclear just how well he would perform on that end of the floor against collegiate competition. Well, he is averaging 19.5 points and 4.0 assists per game on strong efficiency as he handles a massive offensive workload. His ceiling as a scorer seems higher than what some anticipated before the season began.
The kicker: Flagg is doing all of this as one of the youngest players in his class. He turned 18 years old in December and had already begun dominating at the collegiate level as a 17-year-old. He is a prodigy.
Dylan Harper, Rutgers
A dynamic scoring guard with an excellent frame (6-foot-6, 220 pounds with a reported 6-foot-10 wingspan), Harper has the makings of a brilliant NBA ball-handler. He has thrived scoring around the basket at Rutgers but has not yet proven himself to be a quality jump-shooter. On Sunday night, though, he showed the full package, dominating against USC with a flurry of tough shots and six steals.
Freshman Dylan Harper is SPECIAL🔥
Harper just led Rutgers to a big win over USC
25 PTS | 9-13 FG | 4-8 3PT | 9 AST | 6 STL pic.twitter.com/zZZPTYbsat— B/R Hoops (@brhoops) February 24, 2025
With Maxey and McCain locked in as franchise cornerstones for the Sixers, would they consider taking another guard with a premium draft pick? That is a longer conversation — and the sort of bridge we will cross if we get there — but Harper is believed by most to be the most exciting guard prospect in this class.
Harper will turn 19 years old in a few weeks, meaning he will not be 20 years old until late in his rookie NBA campaign.
Ace Bailey, Rutgers
Harper's teammate, standing at 6-foot-10 (200 pounds), might be an easier fit with the Sixers from a positional perspective. But is he a better prospect? He appears to be the most polarizing player in the class, and it makes sense. A proponent of Bailey's would argue that he is a special shot-maker on tremendously difficult looks and his combination of a sweet stroke and good positional size will enable him to become one of the league's elite wing scorers.
This catch and shoot was lighting fast from Ace Bailey ⚡️ @RutgersMBB #B1GMBBall on FS1 📺 pic.twitter.com/xlQTAaeljw
— Big Ten Men's Basketball (@B1GMBBall) February 23, 2025
Meanwhile, skeptics would point to some ominous indicators in Bailey's statistical profile, namely his lack of creation for others. Despite being a high-usage perimeter player, Bailey only averages 1.1 assists per game. His ability to knock down tough shots is exciting, but his shot selection is a major concern for many. If the Sixers keep their pick and it is not No. 1 overall, get ready to witness a whole lot of debates about Bailey.
MORE: Can Sixers retain Guerschon Yabusele, other key role players over summer?
Kasparas Jakučionis, Illinois
A Lithuanian who will be 19 years old for the entirety of his rookie season in the NBA, Jakučionis is another big guard (6-foot-6, 205 pounds) who could end up being selected very early in June. In order for the Sixers to built around Jakučionis as well as Maxey and McCain, the Sixers would likely need him to put on more weight, as he would need to become a viable wing defender.
At first glance, Jakučionis has put together a very intriguing collection of numbers at Illinois as well-rounded guard who can score, pass and rebound. Whether he has the burst to be an offensive engine appears to be the biggest question right now, but if he landed in Philadelphia, that concern may not apply.
Whether it would be wise to use a premium draft choice on a facilitating guard with two stellar ball-handlers already secured is up for debate. But Jakučionis has frequently been described as a crafty and skilled passer:
Kasparas able to get Maluach in the air and drop it off to Ivisic pic.twitter.com/22GhK0TwEO
— Abdel (@abdel_taco) February 23, 2025
Turnover issues have plagued Jakučionis at Illinois, but that is not an uncommon trend for a young ball-handler of his ilk. His three-point percentage this season has not been particularly good, but three-point volume and free throw percentage are generally far more indicative of how a player's shooting ability will translate from college to the NBA, and Jakučionis' 5.0 long-range tries per game and 85.0 free throw percentage bode well.
V.J. Edgecombe, Baylor
Edgecombe, standing at 6-foot-5 without particularly long arms, will likely have to bulk up at the NBA level (currently listed at 180 pounds) to fit with Maxey and McCain. But thanks to outlier athleticism, he can make special plays that absolutely blow you away..
Like this:
VJ Edgecombe absurd bounce and body control pic.twitter.com/Znq8gEw8lv
— Ricky O'Donnell (@SBN_Ricky) January 29, 2025
Or this:
VJ Edgecombe…good evening pic.twitter.com/p6KdT3qt17
— No Ceilings (@NoCeilingsNBA) February 18, 2025
Or this:
Athletic play from VJ Edgecombe, still very much in contention for #2 in the class to me pic.twitter.com/QH15gaJHGr
— Mike Gribanov – NBA Draft, Youth BBall analysis (@mikegrib8) November 29, 2024
You get the point. Edgecombe has the ability to make plays that most people could never dream of making.
MORE: Breaking down Sixers' chances of keeping first-round pick
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