The Sixers will officially own a first-round pick in the 2022 NBA draft. According to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski, the Nets have decided to defer acquiring Philadelphia’s first-round pick until next year, which means the Sixers now own pick No. 23 in the draft.
The decision had to be made on Wednesday as part of the James Harden-Ben Simmons trade from February. The Nets also acquired Seth Curry, Andre Drummond and two first-round picks in the deal, with the first of the draft picks officially conveying in 2023.
According to ESPN’s Bobby Marks, the second first-round pick that Brooklyn will get from Philadelphia will be in the 2027 draft at the earliest, depending on where the Sixers finish in the standings and draft lottery the season prior. Philadelphia will also lose its 2025 first-round draft pick as part of the Al Horford trade with the Thunder.
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Both the Nets and Sixers didn’t get the immediate contribution from this trade as they originally had hoped as Simmons has yet to suit up for Brooklyn while Philadelphia was bounced from the second round of the playoffs.
Harden is expected to exercise a player option that will give him $47.4 million next year, and he is eligible for a contract extension of up to five-years and over $250 million.
