The Philadelphia 76ers won’t know if they will have a first-round pick in the 2025 NBA draft until lottery night on May 12. The pick is only top 6 protected, but after a tough 24-58 season, they have the fifth-worst record in the league and are hoping for some luck on lottery night.
With that being said, should the Sixers keep their pick, there are some options for them in this draft. This is a deep draft rich with a lot of young talent eager to show what they all can do at the NBA level. Even if the Sixers land either the No. 5 or No. 6 pick, they can get a good young player.
A mock draft performed by CBS Sports has the Sixers thinking big. With the No. 5 pick, they have Philadelphia taking Duke 7-foot-2 center Khaman Maluach:
The final impression of Maluach at Duke was not a promising one: he played 21 minutes in a Final Four loss to Houston and grabbed zero rebounds despite his 7-foot-2 frame. But his length, movement and shot-blocking anticipation has NBA teams intrigued with his talent, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him go this high. He’d be a joy to add next to the young core in Philly that includes Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain and Quentin Grimes.
On the season, Maluach averaged 8.6 points and 6.6 rebounds along with 1.3 blocks per game. As mentioned above by CBS, he had a miserable end to the 2024-25 season. Along with zero rebounds, he committed four fouls and only had a block in the loss to the Cougars. However, he did have 14 points, nine rebounds, and two blocks in the Elite 8 win over Alabama so the potential is there. The Sixers could always use some size off the bench and Maluach certainly fits that bill.
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