Insider Tags Wizards as Team to Watch for Potential Trade With 76ers

The Washington Wizards are a team to watch as potential trade partners for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Apr 9, 2014; Washington, DC, USA; Washington Wizards logos are projected on the court during player intros prior to the Wizards' game against the Charlotte Bobcats at Verizon Center. The Bobcats won 94-88 in overtime. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-Imagn Images | Geoff Burke-Imagn Images

With the 2025 NBA Draft still over a week out, the Philadelphia 76ers’ plans are far from clear. The only thing that’s been made clear at this point is the fact that the Sixers aren’t going to trade far out of the No. 3 range.

Trading out for a win-now star was shot down shortly after rumors of that idea were tossed out into the open. The Sixers have been reported to consider a trade back, but are expected to stay within the top 10. Even a potential trade-up to No. 2 was brought up last week, although that scenario seems unlikely.

If the Sixers are willing to move off the No. 3 pick, an NBA insider recently tabbed the Washington Wizards as a team to watch.

“One team that league executives increasingly mention as interested in trading up for Edgecombe: Washington,” NBA insider Marc Stein recently reported.

“And only adding to the intrigue surrounding the Wizards: They hold No. 6 and No. 18 selections in the first round, which has rival teams eyeing them as a potential trade-up partner for both Philadelphia and Charlotte.”

Mar 21, 2025; Raleigh, NC, USA; Baylor Bears guard VJ Edgecombe (7) passes the ball defended by Mississippi State Bulldogs forward RJ Melendez (22) and guard Riley Kugel (2) during the first half in the first round of the NCAA Tournament at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-Imagn Images | Bob Donnan-Imagn Images

Although the Wizards carried high odds of potentially winning the Cooper Flagg sweepstakes, they ended up with lousy luck from the drawing of ping pong balls.

The Wizards’ struggles in 2024-2025 earned them the sixth pick. Since they are in the midst of a rebuild, Washington could use a premier prospect to help them jumpstart a new era. It appears Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe, or potentially Ace Bailey, could be a player they believe in.

The Sixers are reportedly interested in a handful of prospects this offseason, including Edgecombe and Bailey. If they drop down to No. 6, one of those prospects could still be on the board. However, going beyond the top five could end up being a major gamble if they like one prospect much more than the others.

All options will be explored by Philadelphia, but they shouldn’t take on too much risk in the draft. Perhaps keeping the third pick and simply selecting the best player available is in their best interest.