With the draft lottery no longer looming over the heads of the Philadelphia 76ers, an underrated move by President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey is being forgotten. With hindsight in mind, the Sixers’ trade for Quentin Grimes in exchange for Caleb Martin looks like highway robbery. After the draft, the trade may look even worse for the Dallas Mavericks as they also returned the 76ers’ 2025 second-round pick to the team, which ended up being the 35th pick in the upcoming draft.
With that in mind, I’m sure the Mavericks won’t be too upset since they somehow got the first pick in the draft and the right to draft star Cooper Flagg. However, the Sixers’ acquisition of their second-round pick should not be overlooked, as Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey has proven time and time again that he can find real NBA talent in the second round of the NBA Draft. These are three players the Sixers should consider with the 35th pick:
Chaz Lanier – G – Tennessee
Chaz Lanier spent his first four seasons of NCAA basketball with the North Florida Ospreys. In his first three seasons, Lanier was a mediocre player, never averaging more than 5 points per game. During his senior season with North Florida, he broke out, averaging 19.7 points per game on 44.0% shooting from three. This led him to transfer to the University of Tennessee.
With the Volunteers, he led his team to a 30-8 record and an Elite Eight appearance. In the tournament, Lanier averaged 20.8 points and 5.0 rebounds on 9.0 three-point attempts a night. While Lanier is far from a perfect player, his age and 6-foot-4-inch size, coupled with his excellent three-point shooting, would make him an instant impact player for the Sixers in limited minutes.
Lanier was asked what player he would compare his game to. He mentioned two players he has studied throughout his career.
“I really like Devin Booker’s game. Throughout this past season at Tennessee, I was really studying his footwork and his ability to create space and get his shots off, and just the quick reads that he makes. So, I say Devin Booker. And, I steal a lot of Buddy Hield’s footwork, and I admire the way he gets his shot off so fast and how simple he keeps the game.”
Expecting Lanier to reach the heights of Devin Booker would be unfair, but there are few players better for a shooter to study than he and Buddy Hield.
Noah Penda – F – International
Noah Penda is a 20-year-old versatile forward out of France, playing in the LNB Elite for Le Mans Sarthe Basket. On Le Mans, Penda has averaged 10.2 points per game on 44.0% shooting from the field and 30.4% from beyond the arc. His offensive game, though rough, does have some upside, as, according to HoopsHype, he is shooting 36.6% on catch-and-shoot attempts from beyond the arc.
The main thing he can bring to a team right now is his motor, vision and his “do the little things right” attitude. Penda averaged 5.1 rebounds, 2.6 assists, and 1.4 steals a night for Le Mans, becoming a bit of a jack-of-all-trades type of player. He is a strong defender with solid length, an above-average passer and a willing screener and cutter.
The young forward was also second on the team in rebounds per game among players who played in at least two games, trailing only Wilfried Yeguete in that category. While he may not be a perfect player right now, between his hard work mindset and his potential upside, the Sixers would be wise to look into Penda, should he somehow be available at pick 35.
Johni Broome – C – Auburn
Johni Broome was a dominant fifth-year senior for the Auburn Tigers this season, earning First Team All-American honors. The 6-foot-9.25-inch center dominated this season, starting 35 games for the Tigers where he averaged career highs in points (18.6), assists (2.9) and rebounds (10.8) per game, all while shooting 53.9% from the field. His shot blocking was also on full display, leading the SEC in blocks per game with 2.1 a night. With a combination of a solid collegiate inside game and great shot blocking, Broome has earned a chance to make an impact at the next level.
That being said, Broome is a second-round pick for a reason. Broome has a very limited range and isn’t going to be a floor stretcher by any means. He shot just 27.8% from beyond the arc. The former Tiger lacks the quickness on the court many prefer in their centers, meaning that he may be a net negative if played too much early on. Still, between his shot blocking upside and some excellent performances in March Madness against both the fifth-seeded Michigan Wolverines and the second-seeded Michigan State Spartans, Broome has both the talent and the experience to help teams right away in limited minutes.
