On Wednesday morning, I posted an extremely simple poll. All Sixers fans had to do was read the names of four prospects and choose the one they would like to see the team draft if they stay at No. 3 overall. My only goal was to see which prospect – other than Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper – the fan base is most excited about right now.
Yet within an hour, I had received a comical number of responses that the team must trade down – of course, completely disregarding the entire point of the poll. But it speaks to the lack of full-blown support for Rutgers forward Ace Bailey, and to varying degrees similar feelings toward Baylor guard/wing V.J. Edgecombe. The makeup of this year’s draft class and how the order shook out lent themselves to the notion that the Sixers should seriously consider moving down via trade.
To illustrate how challenging that actually is to pull off, over the last handful of days I have represented the Sixers front office in mock trade negotiations with five writers covering other teams around the NBA which could theoretically have interest in jumping up to the third pick. Each writer was made an offer, and if they declined it were allowed to make a counteroffer.
To illustrate how challenging that actually is to pull off, over the last handful of days I have represented the Sixers front office in mock trade negotiations with writers covering five other NBA teams that could theoretically have interest in jumping up to the third pick. Each writer was made an offer and given an opportunity to counteroffer.
Here is how it went:
Houston Rockets
Houston owns the No. 10 overall pick, and while dropping down seven spots is suboptimal, the Rockets have a pair of young forwards enticing enough for me to consider it as one of the better options. Tari Eason and Jabari Smith Jr. are both entering their fourth NBA campaigns next season, and while they are different players, both are capable of helping a team win right now while having substantial room for growth in the years ahead. Both players are eligible for contract extensions this summer, and it is unclear what Houston's appetite will be to hand out new money after extending Jalen Green and Alperen Şengün right before the season.
Eason is likely the more valuable asset because he has game-breaking sort of ability as a defender. Smith is the far superior shooter who is a much more reliable offensive player, though. Ultimately, I decided to ask for Eason and hope that if I got a no, there would be a counteroffer featuring Smith. Here is how it went:
Adam Aaronson: The Rockets have plenty of young talent on their roster, but if this year’s first-round playoff series showed us anything, they are still looking for a no-doubt-about-it franchise centerpiece. With difficult decisions to come about which players to keep, the Sixers can offer you a chance to make the No. 3 overall pick for the second year in a row and avoid having to hand out another major contract extension this offseason. Here is our offer:
Rockets receive: 2025 Pick No. 3, Andre Drummond, Ricky Council IV
Sixers receive: 2025 Pick No. 10, Tari Eason
The lone cost of moving up seven spots here is Eason, who may be locked into a bench role for the Rockets long term and is eligible for an extension this summer. This gives you the chance to draft a player at the beginning of the rookie scale with a significant chance of stardom. Drummond and Council are salary filler here.
Armin Khansari, writer for "The Dream Shake:" If you had proposed this trade at the beginning of the season (and we had somehow known where these teams would be picking), I think most Rockets fans would have agreed to it. Eason was coming off an injury-plagued sophomore campaign in which the team was never really transparent with the nature of his injury.
Today, I think Houston talks about it but politely declines. Eason still missed some time this season with injury, but improved in most facets of his game. His defensive rating was the best among Houston’s regulars, and his offensive rating was second. His shooting numbers have improved each season and basically every advanced statistic screams that he’s one of Houston’s three most important players along with Amen Thompson and Alperen Sengun. He’s also the perfect player for Ime Udoka, who demands defensive effort at all times.
The contract extension is obviously going to be a key part of this. If Eason comes in demanding a max, then I think the Rockets will look to move on. However, if he’s willing to come in at something more in the four-year, $100 million range, I think Houston would be satisfied with that. They see him as a potential pillar of this team and is probably their Dillon Brooks replacement if Brooks is traded or leaves in two years when his contract expires.
Finally, I’m not sold on Ace Bailey as a fit for Houston’s system. That’s the obvious selection at No. 3, but Bailey isn’t the defender that Houston desires. It’s always possible that there’s another player available at No. 3 that they like a lot, but I can’t see any of them being better fits than Eason, even when you add in the extension consideration.
Adam Aaronson: Perhaps I should have aimed lower and asked for Smith instead of Eason, but if Armin and the Rockets were not enthusiastic about their options at No. 3, that deal would have probably been rejected, too.
Atlanta Hawks
Atlanta owns picks No. 13 and No. 22. In order to move down 10 spots, I was going to need a whole lot more than just a late first-rounder. So I asked for another future first-round pick and the ability to swap the expiring contracts of Kelly Oubre Jr. and Andre Drummond (assuming both players have picked up their player options) for Onyeka Okongwu, a young, starting-caliber center with an affordable contract and plenty of experience in double-big lineups:
Adam Aaronson: If the Hawks could move up in this draft and nail a high selection, they would suddenly be surrounding Trae Young with one of the better young cores in the NBA when putting a top-three pick with Jalen Johnson, Dyson Daniels and Zaccharie Risacher. Here is what it would cost to make it happen:
Hawks receive: 2025 Pick No. 3, 2025 Pick No. 35, Andre Drummond, Kelly Oubre Jr., Lonnie Walker IV
Sixers receive: 2025 Pick No. 13, 2025 Pick No. 22, Onyeka Okongwu, second-most favorable of ATL/CLE/UTA 2028 first-round picks
Think of the cost this way: to move up from No. 13 to No. 3, you have to move down from No. 22 to No. 35 and then part with Okongwu and a distant first-rounder which will not be particularly valuable if either your future or that of the Jazz turns out to be bright. You would have your pick of prospects not named Cooper Flagg and Dylan Harper to form an elite nucleus of young talent.
Brad Rowland, host of Locked on Hawks: First, I do think the cost would be something like this if the Hawks wanted desperately to jump to No. 3 to take whichever prospect (Ace Bailey?) they would be looking to snag. With that said, I’d politely decline as the Hawks, and I have a feeling they would, too.
There are multiple reasons for that, but much of it stems from where they are organizationally. If Atlanta had its own picks in 2026 and 2027, or if the Hawks were still in more of a rebuilding mode, this would be an easier sell. However, rumblings point to the contrary, with Hawks governor Tony Ressler relieving general manager Landry Fields of his duties and signaling a desire to win more in the short-term.
I am fond of saying this on multiple platforms but, well, rookies are generally bad. There are some exceptions to that, but a deal like this would unequivocally make the Hawks worse in the short-term. Of course, the trade-off would be if they thought they had a real “star” bet with the No. 3 pick, but the inclusion of Okongwu I think is where it really diverges.
Though he’s a former mid-lottery pick who has been playing a prominent role for five years, Okongwu fell off the radar for many, largely because the Hawks have had Clint Capela starting ahead of him for the balance of his NBA career. Quietly, Okongwu took over as the starter midseason, averaged 15 points and 10 rebounds on elite efficiency for two-plus months, and he’s on a (very) team-friendly deal for a starting center. It’s possible that Atlanta’s new front office lead might not love the Okongwu direction given that he’s clearly undersized compared to a lot of starting centers, but he also unlocks a lot of versatility for the Hawks. In this scenario, they’d bring in some reasonable depth guys and a real rotation-level piece in Oubre, but you’d have to REALLY believe in the No. 3 pick to make this swing. That is particularly the case if you are a believer in Okongwu to any real degree, but you’re also trading three first-rounders on top of that. I can’t get there, personally.
I do wonder if Atlanta might include three firsts to jump to No. 3 if they fell in love with a prospect. Would that be reasonable from the Sixers’ side? Or does a picks-only package fall short? It’s a little tricky because the Hawks don’t have control over their own picks for a while.
Adam Aaronson: The only way I would consider trading No. 3 for a picks-only package centered around the No. 13 pick is if I was also getting a no-doubt-about-it premium future pick, likely unprotected. And the Hawks do not have that kind of asset available to them.
MORE: Will No. 3 pick prevent Sixers from keeping Quentin Grimes, Guerschon Yabusele?
Brooklyn Nets
This is the most intriguing option to me, because the Nets can offer the Sixers something nobody else can: control of their own first-round picks after their short-term obligation to the Oklahoma City Thunder is satisfied. The Sixers will owe their 2026 first-round pick to Oklahoma City unless it falls in the top four. At that point, their only first-round pick obligation is owing a top-eight protected 2028 first-rounder to Brooklyn. In addition to that unique asset, Brooklyn owns the No. 8 pick and three more picks in the second half of round one.
Here is how those talks went:
Adam Aaronson: The Sixers’ two-plus months of tanking was perhaps more damaging to the Brooklyn Nets than any other team. The good news: you now have a chance to move up from No. 8 to No. 3 and secure a chance to draft the next Nets cornerstone. But the Sixers will need their own 2027 first-rounder back – undoing the final obligation from the Ben Simmons-for-James Harden trade – and one of your other three picks in the back half of this year’s first round:
Nets receive: 2025 Pick No. 3
Sixers receive: 2025 Pick No. 8, 2025 Pick No. 19, Sixers’ 2027 first-round pick
You would still be clearly positive in terms of first-round picks – not just this year, but in future seasons as well – while having the chance to draft whichever of Bailey, Edgecombe and the other non-Flagg/Harper prospects you believe has the next-best chance of long-term stardom. What do you say?
Lucas Kaplan, writer for NetsDaily: Sorry Adam, I must decline for two related reasons.
First: The gap between No. 8 to No. 3 isn’t sizable enough, in terms of this year’s prospects, evidenced by the lack of consensus among Sixers fans as to who the pick should be. I’m not going to get too deep into the scouting weeds here, but Ace Bailey has serious flaws if you’re betting on an eventual star turn, and V.J. Edgecombe, about to turn 20, is no perfect prospect either.
I’m not convinced that one of other Duke prospects, or Jeremiah Fears, or Noa Essengue (or whoever Brooklyn’s scouts like) is a disappointment at No. 8 when the alternative is not Cooper Flagg or Dylan Harper.
Second: The Nets do not need exciting young talent. They need a lot of exciting young talent. Whoever they draft at No. 19 will likely be a more intriguing young player than anybody, with respect to Noah Clowney, on the entire roster. It’s about volume.
And even if Brooklyn accelerates the rebuild over the next two seasons, a future first-rounder is often worth more than the actual draft pick. Let’s say they want to make a trade to upgrade the roster in a couple seasons, that ‘27 Philly pick is a nice little asset to have.
Now, if Brooklyn’s scouts absolutely love Edgecombe and are convinced he is a tier or two above anybody that will be available at No. 8, I’d counter offer with No. 8 and No. 19 for No. 3…but I have a feeling Philly laughs at that one.
Adam Aaronson: I would not laugh at that offer, but it probably would not be enough to get the job done. Regaining the 2028 pick in the process of moving down five spots was the real prize of this concept.
MORE: Source says Sixers have given 'no consideration' to packaging No. 3 pick for veteran
Chicago Bulls
Moving all the way down to Chicago's spot at No. 12 and finding a good deal is a challenge, so I had to ask for quite a bit here. Ultimately, the proposal included a premium future first-rounder and a player the Sixers could slot in as a quality rotation regular now and for years to come:
Adam Aaronson: Nobody has done a better job of documenting the Bulls’ desperation for a franchise-altering young talent than you. Now, the Sixers are giving you the chance to move up nine spots and land that sort of player. But the cost will not be small for a move down this significant. It would require a rotation-caliber contributor and a future first-rounder.
Here is the offer:
Bulls receive: 2025 Pick No. 3, Andre Drummond, Lonnie Walker IV
Sixers receive: 2025 Pick No. 12, 2026 unprotected first-round pick, Ayo Dosunmu
Dosunmu is one of the Bulls’ better draft picks in years, but his contract will expire after this season and at some point something has to give in a crowded guard rotation. And because the Bulls own the Blazers’ lottery-protected 2026 first-rounder, you would not necessarily be without a pick next year. Drummond and Walker are just salary filler here, though it cannot hurt that Drummond was a favorite during his time in Chicago.
Ricky O’Donnell, SB Nation: Can’t do that as the Bulls. If the Bulls are smart – we already know they’re not! – they should be in the business of working towards a pick surplus, not another pick deficit. The Bulls finally have control of all of their future draft picks again, and it’s one of the few things that gives them a small amount of hope for the organization. A trade like this would work against their best interest.
Covering this draft class for the last year, I personally believe there are some potential landmines at No. 3, and that it’s possible to find a player just as good at No. 12. I’d consider myself ‘in the middle’ on Ace Bailey’s stock, so I’m not too excited about drafting him at No. 3. If the Bulls were to do this deal, I’d lean towards picking Khaman Maluach.
My only counteroffer here is:
Bulls receive: 2025 Pick No. 3, Andre Drummond
Sixers receive: 2025 Pick No. 12, Ayo Dosunmu, Portland Trail Blazers’ 2026 lottery-protected first-round pick
Adam Aaronson: Admittedly, the first draft of my proposal included the Portland pick instead of Chicago's own unprotected first-rounder, but ultimately decided a pick with a ceiling of No. 15 and a floor of turning into a distant second-rounder was not enough. And while I do love the idea of the Sixers targeting Dosunmu, the emergences of Jared McCain and Quentin Grimes as potential long-term backcourt partners for Tyrese Maxey makes him inherently less valuable. Perhaps I should have asked for a lightly-protected Bulls first-rounder, but it sounds like that would have been rejected, too.
Washington Wizards
The Wizards moved from No. 2 to No. 6 after the lottery drawing broke horribly for the NBA's worst teams. Washington has more than enough assets to move up if they view Bailey or Edgecombe as a tantalizing, franchise-altering sort of talent. My goal here was to move down only three spots, pick up a mid-first-round pick, salary dump Drummond and add a potential diamond in the rough:
Adam Aaronson: The Wizards caught a tougher break than any other team on lottery night, dropping from No. 2 to No. 6 with four teams leapfrogging them. Now, the Sixers are offering a chance to climb back up. Here is what it will cost you to move up three spots and secure a chance to draft the next-best prospect in this year’s class after Flagg and Harper:
Wizards receive: 2025 Pick No. 3, 2025 Pick No. 35, Andre Drummond
Sixers receive: 2025 Pick No. 6, 2025 Pick No. 18, Justin Champagnie
In order to swap lottery picks, the Sixers will need the Wizards’ second first-round pick in this year’s draft and Champagnie, a young wing on a cheap contract with a chance of becoming a rotation regular. It would also be a convenience for the Sixers to shed Drummond’s $5 million expiring salary. In order to balance out the deal for you, the Sixers can throw in the No. 35 pick. What do you say?
Varun Shankar, Wizards beat writer for The Washington Post: I don’t think moving up three spots is worth giving up Champagnie (who’s on a great contract) and No. 18. If Philadelphia had gotten No. 2 and this was for a chance to get Harper, I wouldn’t think twice but the prospects after him have enough question marks that it’s a bit rich.
I really wanted to see if there was a framework that would work with Philadelphia taking on Marcus Smart and Champagnie. I feel like Smart would work well alongside one of the smaller guards (Maxey/McCain) but it’s just too much money and the 76ers don’t have any mid-level salaries that they’d be willing to send back.
Would you do this?
Wizards receive: 2025 Pick No. 3, Andre Drummond
Sixers receive: 2025 Pick No. 6, 2025 Pick No. 40, Justin Champagnie
Adam Aaronson: This is definitely not a trade I would do before the draft. If the Sixers found themselves literally on the clock, with two picks already having been made, it could become a consideration. If June 25 comes around and the Sixers genuinely do not feel Bailey or Edgecombe has separated from the pack, this deal is not far off, even if it looks unappetizing at first glance.
Champagnie, whose brother Julian was once with the Sixers for a brief period, will be 24 years old next season. He is a stellar rebounder for a wing and shot 38.3 percent from beyond the arc last season on very healthy volume. If he establishes himself as a rotation regular, his current contract will be one of the more team-friendly deals in the NBA:
• 2025-26: $2,349,578 (non-guaranteed until January)
• 2026-27: $2,667,944 (non-guaranteed until January)
• 2027-28: $3,005,085 (team option; non-guaranteed until January)
Having No. 40 in addition to the No. 35 pick could enable the Sixers to move back into the first round if they want. They could also take two players they like in that region of the draft or flip one of them for multiple future second-rounders.
So I would not accept this counteroffer right now. But give us another ring when we are on the clock.
In conclusion
Like most roster-building tasks in sports, the idea of trading down, maximizing asset value and drafting the very last available player in a team's tier of high-caliber prospects is a whole lot easier said than done. It is why no matter how logical a trade down might be in any particular situation – and it seems quite logical for the Sixers right now, as has been covered here extensively in the last nine days – the safest bet is always going to be that a team sticks and picks.
Additionally, as became clear during these negotiations, people in the Sixers lexicon are not the only ones with significant concerns about the non-Flagg/Harper prospects in this class. Many teams we hypothesize could trade up would have the same questions at No. 3 that the Sixers do right now.
The five teams I "negotiated" with here, and at least a few others, are sensible trade partners for the Sixers if they do want to move down. But extracting commensurate value for such a premium pick is a massive challenge.
MORE: Sixers-specific scouting reports of Bailey, Edgecombe, other top prospects
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