Sixers President of Basketball Operations, Daryl Morey
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Sixers President of Basketball Operations, Daryl Morey
The Jared McCain trade still isn’t sitting well with Philadelphia 76ers fans months after the deal with the Oklahoma City Thunder went down.
That doesn’t change the fact that the Sixers are still waiting to take advantage of any value that might come with the draft picks they received in the returning package.
The top pick in the deal is the Houston Rockets‘ 2026 first-round pick. Whether the Sixers will keep it or not is a different conversation.
But assuming they do, one mock draft from Bleacher Report predicts that a potential Joel Embiid partner could be on his way.
Sixers Snag A Michigan Man Deep In The First Round
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GettyAday Mara #15 of the Michigan Wolverines reacts after dunking the ball during the second half against the St. John’s Red Storm at Madison Square Garden on October 25, 2025 in New York City.
BR’s latest projects Michigan big man Aday Mara to the 76ers with the 23rd pick.
The 7’3″, 255-pound center hails from Spain and earned a pro comp to former Indiana Pacers center (and ex-Sixers assistant) Roy Hibbert.
Here’s what BR’s Jonathan Wasserman says about Mara:
“Aday Mara’s finishing and shotblocking are the obvious draws, but he’s entered the top-20 discussion with his passing and post-ups. He’s just a unique weapon for a rotation to have at 7’3″. Bad turnovers and dreadful free-throw shooting will turn teams off, but he’s established himself as too rare of a player, even if he winds up being more of a situational center.”
Mara, 20, started his NCAA run at UCLA in 2023. He played in 28 games as a freshman, picking up eight starts. Mara averaged 9.5 minutes on the court, producing 3.5 points per game, along with 1.5 rebounds.
During his sophomore effort, Mara came off the bench for all but one of his 33 games. He averaged 6.4 points on 59.0% shooting and averaged 4.0 rebounds per game.
The decision to transfer to Michigan came in April 2025. During the 2025-2026 NCAA season, Mara checked in for 34 games to produce 11.6 points (67.4% shooting) and 6.9 rebounds per game.
The State Of The Sixers’ Center Position
Joel Embiid
GettyJoel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers.
Despite the fact that Joel Embiid is getting up there in age and continues to deal with setbacks throughout his career, the star center isn’t going anywhere anytime soon.
The highly-criticized contract extension of $187.1 million will kick in at the start of the 2026-2027 NBA season. He is under contract for the next two years, with a $66.9 million player option for 2028-2029.
The Sixers aren’t drafting Embiid’s replacement if they take a center–they are going for his next primary backup.
Andre Drummond will hit the free agency market in July. Adem Bona, a former second-rounder out of UCLA, has shown solid flashes through his first two years, but he’s still working to earn his spot as the top backup for years to come.
As for the rookie Johni Broome, he spent most of his rookie effort glued to the bench or in the G League. His long-term outlook in Philadelphia is already in question.