Sixers Rumors: Philly's First-Round NBA Draft Pick Likely to be Traded

The 2021 NBA Draft is less than a week away. As it stands, the Philadelphia 76ers possess two draft picks this year. The first selection is at 28th overall in the first round. The second-round selection comes at pick No. 50.

Considering Daryl Morey's past in the Houston Rockets front office, it seems there could be a good chance the first-round selection could get moved. Morey himself even admitted that anything is possible when it comes to the 28th pick as he wouldn't rule out trading up, back, or getting rid of the pick altogether.

So far, no moves have been made for the Sixers this offseason. But as the NBA Draft inches closer and the Sixers continue to host prospects ahead of the big event, there is a rumor going around that the 28th pick might belong to another team before the Sixers ever get on the clock, according to a report from The PhillyVoice's Kyle Neubeck. 

"Heading into the NBA Draft, the Sixers are expected to prioritize more immediate help for the franchise, with a source telling PhillyVoice there is "a very good chance" pick No. 28 is on the move prior to or during next week's draft, as Philadelphia continues to explore multiple avenues to upgrade the team ahead of next season.

"While the exact framework of such a deal is still very much fluid — the Sixers are open to dealing for either a veteran player or to recoup future assets to fill out the war chest — all signs point to Philadelphia moving No. 28 somewhere else. The Sixers are in pursuit of assets they can use to win sooner rather than later, ideally to get another starter-level player to add to the rotation for next year."

Ever since the early stages of the 2020-2021 season, Daryl Morey made it clear that he believes he's running a championship-contending organization in Philadelphia. Since that's the case, it's difficult to believe the Sixers can land a day one contributor on a championship squad late in the first round of the draft.

Instead, it would make sense to move the pick to a team that's rebuilding and willing to move a valuable veteran that could crack Philly's rotation right away. There is still some time for the Sixers front office to change their minds, but it shouldn't come as a shock if they ultimately deal away the 28th pick before or on draft night. 

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for Sports Illustrated. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.