The NBA draft is usually where hope goes to live, or at least where it goes to get a fresh coat of paint. But if you’re looking at the seventy sixers draft picks over the last few years, hope feels a little more like a high-stakes poker game. People love to say that Daryl Morey doesn’t care about the draft. They say he treats picks like loose change he can just throw at the next available superstar.
Honestly? That’s only half true.
If you actually look at the guys they’ve brought in recently—guys like Jared McCain and Adem Bona—there’s a specific pattern emerging. It’s not just about finding the best player available; it’s about finding players who can survive the absolute pressure cooker that is playing next to Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
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The 2024 and 2025 impact: Jared McCain and the V.J. Edgecombe era
Let's talk about the 2024 NBA Draft for a second. The Sixers took Jared McCain at No. 16. At the time, everyone was complaining. "He's too small!" "How does he play next to Maxey?" "He's just a TikToker!"
Then the season started.
McCain basically lit the league on fire for the first two months. He was the Eastern Conference Rookie of the Month for October and November 2024. He wasn't just "good for a rookie"—he was leading all rookies in scoring at 16 points per game. He has this weird, fearless confidence that you usually only see in ten-year vets. Even when he went down with that thumb surgery in late 2025, he’d already proven that Morey hit a home run.
Then came the 2025 draft. The 2024-25 season was, to put it lightly, a total disaster. Embiid was out, the wins weren't coming, and fans were screaming to tank for Cooper Flagg. They didn't get Flagg, but they landed the No. 3 pick and grabbed V.J. Edgecombe out of Baylor.
Edgecombe is a freak. Seriously.
The kid is 6'5", explosive, and plays with a motor that makes you tired just watching him. Pairing him with Maxey has given the Sixers one of the most athletic backcourts in the league. It changed the math. Suddenly, the seventy sixers draft picks weren't just trade fodder; they were the actual foundation of the post-Embiid era, even if nobody wants to admit that era is coming.
Why Adem Bona was the steal nobody saw coming
Everyone focuses on the first round. I get it. The glitz, the suits, the handshake with the commissioner. But Adem Bona, the 41st pick in 2024, is the guy who actually saved the Sixers' bench.
Most second-rounders spend their first year in Delaware playing for the Blue Coats. Bona? He logged over 900 minutes for the big club as a rookie. He’s raw, sure. His offensive game is basically "dunk everything and hope for the best." But defensively? He was blocking 3.8 shots per 100 possessions. That’s elite.
Morey found a guy at 41 who can actually give Embiid a rest without the lead evaporating in three minutes. That's been the Sixers' Achilles heel for a decade. Finding that in the second round is basically like finding a twenty-dollar bill in a pair of jeans you haven't worn in three years.
The 2026 pick problem: Where did they all go?
If you’re looking for seventy sixers draft picks in 2026, I have some bad news. You’re going to be looking for a while.
Right now, the Sixers are slated to have zero picks in the 2026 draft.
- The First Rounder: This is owed to Oklahoma City (top-four protected). It’s the lingering ghost of the Al Horford trade from 2020.
- The Second Rounder: Also gone. That one went out in the George Hill trade.
There is a catch, though. If the Sixers absolutely bottom out and their pick lands in the top four, they keep it. But given how Maxey and Edgecombe are playing, that feels unlikely. They’re stuck in that middle ground where they’re too good to keep their pick but maybe not deep enough to win it all without another move.
Future Assets: The cupboard isn't totally bare
Despite the 2026 drought, the "Morey is a pick-hater" narrative falls apart when you look at 2028 and 2029.
- 2028: They have their own first (top-8 protected) PLUS an unprotected first from the Clippers.
- 2029: They have swap rights with the Clippers.
Basically, the Sixers are betting heavily that the Clippers are going to be terrible by the end of the decade. It’s a smart bet. James Harden and Kawhi Leonard aren't getting any younger.
What most people get wrong about "The Process" legacy
We’re years removed from Hinkie, but the ghost of the Process still haunts every discussion about seventy sixers draft picks. People think the Sixers should always be hunting for the next superstar.
The reality is different now.
The CBA (the league's collective bargaining agreement) has made it almost impossible to keep three max-contract stars and a deep bench. You have to hit on your draft picks. You need guys on cheap rookie deals who can actually play.
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That’s why the Jared McCain and V.J. Edgecombe picks are so massive. They aren't just "young players." They are financial lifelines. If McCain is giving you 18 points a night on a rookie contract, you can afford to pay Paul George and Embiid. If he’s a bust, the whole house of cards falls down.
Actionable insights for the future
If you're following the Sixers' roster construction, keep an eye on these specific movements over the next 12 months:
- Watch the 2026 protection: If the Sixers start sliding toward the trade deadline, don't be surprised if they don't fight too hard to climb the standings. Keeping that top-four protected pick in a loaded 2026 draft would be a franchise-altering "accident."
- Monitor the Clippers' win-loss record: The Sixers' future draft value is now tied to Los Angeles. Every time the Clippers lose, the Sixers' 2028 and 2029 outlook gets brighter.
- The Adem Bona extension: Bona is on a team-friendly deal, but he's outperforming it. If the Sixers can lock him into a long-term, low-cost "backup center" contract early, it saves them millions in luxury tax later.
- Jared McCain’s health: That UCL thumb surgery is no joke for a shooter. Watch his shooting percentages in the first ten games back; if the "touch" isn't there, the Sixers' spacing dies.
The Sixers have stopped drafting for potential and started drafting for personality. They want guys who aren't afraid of the Philly boos. So far, the 2024 and 2025 classes look like they’ve got the thick skin required to survive in the Wells Fargo Center.