Ranking the 5 best options for the Sixers at No. 3

From V.J. Edgecombe to Ace Bailey to Tre Johnson to a trade, the Sixers will have plenty of optionality when it comes to pick No. 3 in the 2025 NBA Draft.

The Sixers will have the No. 3 overall pick in the 2025 NBA Draft on June 25.

Thank goodness we don’t have to consider the possibility of Al Horford’s ghost continuing to haunt the Sixers. Instead, the Oklahoma City Thunder are likely to receive the Sixers’ 2026 first-rounder to close the book on the Horford deal.

While most draft experts believe Duke’s Cooper Flagg will go No. 1 and Rutgers’ Dylan Harper No. 2, there is no such consensus for No. 3 overall. With over a month to break down prospects and trade ideas, we figured we’d take a stab at the best five options for the Sixers.

1. Draft Tre Johnson

Yeah, I know you all know I love Tre Johnson. The Texas guard/wing might be the best shooter in the draft with plenty of untapped potential. He boasts a 6-foot-10 wingspan and is setting the NBA Draft Combine athletic testing drills ablaze.

Johnson has his flaws. There’s a reason he’s not the consensus No. 3 pick. But his flaws could be correctable and are also slightly overblown.

People point to Johnson’s playmaking and propensity to get tunnel vision. He averaged 2.7 assists per game as a freshman, good for second on his team (Texas’ leader was Julian Larry at 2.9 per game). For the record, Johnson still managed to lead the SEC in scoring and finished third in the conference in points produced per game despite a poor offensive ecosystem where he received little help from his head coach (who was fired) and supporting cast.

There are a couple possibilities. Either Johnson will have more success as a playmaker with NBA spacing, coaching and teammates, or maybe he’s simply not a high-usage, on-ball player. What’s nice from the Sixers’ perspective in either case is that there’s no hurry for Johnson to develop into an on-ball player. He can come right in as a movement shooter, something he couldn’t really do while trying to carry the Longhorns’ offense. Johnson can ideally contribute right away while still possessing potential to grow.

Another concern is defense. There are reasons to be positive about his growth there as well. First of all, there was effort. He wasn’t particularly impactful and was prone to mental lapses, but he seemed to actually care about defense. That’s half the battle. The other reasons for optimism are that 6-foot-10 wingspan and the athletic testing numbers. There is zero reason physically that Johnson can’t develop into at least a passable defender at the next level.

The other weakness folks might point to is Johnson’s lack of physical strength at 190 pounds. Outside of the aforementioned shortfalls of the offense he was in, Johnson struggled to get shots at the rim in part because he could stand to add some functional strength. That could also go a long way in helping his defense.

All that said, if it were me, as we sit here on May 15, I would take Johnson at third overall.

2. Draft V.J. Edgecombe

There’s no consensus at No. 3, but Edgecombe’s name has been talked about in that range the entire draft cycle. It’s easy to see why.

Edgecombe is a dynamite athlete, arguably the best in the class. He has an explosive first step and is nearly unstoppable in transition. He’s also a strong on-ball defender and disruptive off-ball. Imagine Edgecombe playing with Tyrese Maxey while the two of them rack up steals and turn them into blurry baskets the other way.

Much like Johnson, Edgecombe has a path to helping this team right away while developing his skillset and reducing his flaws over time. Edgecombe can play a De’Anthony Melton with a turbo button role while refining his handle and improving his ability as a pull-up jump shooter. The fit isn’t perfect with the Sixers’ loaded backcourt, but if the team believes Edgecombe is the best player available, they should simply take him.

The only reason I like Johnson over Edgecombe is the jumper. Edgecombe’s is far from broken, but Johnson has the best stroke in the class in this writer’s humble opinion. Still, it’s easy to see why the Sixers’ front office might think differently. They want to get younger, more dynamic and try to get more easy opportunities in transition. Edgecombe fits that bill to a T. He’d be a great pick.

3. Trade back

When people asked me during mailbags if trading back made sense, I pushed back a bit, not seeing a clear team that would be interested in a trade up. With the Sixers having the third pick and a team like the Brooklyn Nets having the eighth pick, my stance has softened considerably.

Brooklyn has pick Nos. 8, 19, 26 and 27 plus a bunch of future draft capital (including the Sixers’ 2028 first-rounder from the James Harden-Ben Simmons trade). While the Sixers can snag a really talented young player at No. 3 — a move I’d fully be on board with — there is certainly an argument to be made that the Nets need to find star power much more.

It would be a pretty great spot for the Sixers if they’re not dead set on a prospect. If they moved down to eight, one of Johnson, Edgecombe, Ace Bailey, Derik Queen, Khaman Maluach or Kon Knueppel will be available. So they can add more assets while still getting a very talented young player.

With the way the Sixers are currently constructed, with an eye on winning now and another looking towards the future, they’re in an advantageous spot. If they view all the prospects in the 3-8 range similarly (as I do), this seems like a great avenue to explore.

4. Draft Derik Queen or Khaman Maluach

When assessing the bigs of this draft, the top two guys definitely fall into the eye-of-the-beholder category.

Derik Queen is a terrific shot creator with great touch and feel. While there were only flashes of it at Maryland, it’s easy to see how Queen could become an offensive hub at the next level, similar to Alperen Sengun in Houston. There are concerns about his defense, but it’s encouraging that Queen has dropped weight and worked on his body since high school.

Khaman Maluach possesses insane size yet is remarkably agile. The South Sudan native looks like he could have DPOY potential. His offensive game is still raw, but he’s worked on his shot and hit 76.6% of his free throws at Duke. He’d have an obvious mentor in Joel Embiid.

We can debate whether center is a need, but these are two special talents. I’m not sure who the better big will ultimately be, but I can see the vision for both guys becoming excellent starting centers in the NBA. The Sixers, whether at No. 3 or in a trade-back scenario, could pick who they believe is the best center in the draft.

5. Draft Ace Bailey

A few weeks ago, I might’ve said take Edgecombe or Bailey at No. 3 and call it a day. Yes, I’ve soured a bit on Bailey, but that’s not to say selecting him third would be a poor decision.

Bailey is flawed and it appears he is a bit smaller than his listed height of 6-foot-10, but it’s not hard to see the potential. He routinely made difficult shots at Rutgers, in part a product of Rutgers’ lack of talent outside of Bailey and Harper. His potential as a versatile defender and impactful weakside shot blocker is intriguing.

One of the loftier comps for Bailey going around now is Jayson Tatum. The size is nearly identical and the difficult shot-making component is there. I just don’t think Bailey is nearly the prospect Tatum was as a ball-handler and creator. Again, Tatum was in a much better offensive ecosystem at Duke than Bailey was at Rutgers, but in watching both guys I don’t quite see it.

The Michael Porter Jr. with a fully functional back comp might be the one I’m more comfortable making. And that’s not a knock! Bailey becoming a similar player with maybe a bit more defensive upside would be a tremendous outcome.

Sam Vecenie of The Athletic is the best at this, in my humble opinion. He has the Sixers taking Bailey at three. I thought this was an interesting tidbit:

It’s worth noting that Rutgers was a catastrophe when Bailey wasn’t on the court. Even in Big Ten play, they lost Bailey’s minutes by only three points per 100 possessions. When he was off the court, they lost those minutes by 23 points per 100, per CBB Analytics. His presence was clearly helpful, and I think that’s what tracks most for me. Bailey is enormous, he’s long, he is a real shooter, and he showed some defensive moments that were very positive in switch situations.

The good news for the Sixers is that these are all pretty damn good options. With the way Daryl Morey and company have evaluated the talent in the draft during his tenure, there should be more confidence they’ll make the right choice than with most other roster decisions.