Top-Three Trade Down: Could the Spurs and 76ers Swap Picks for Future Assets in the 2025 NBA Draft?

In the NBA Draft, trading down from a top-three pick is a rare and often controversial move. Rookie-scale contracts are considered the best deals in basketball, and teams historically have better odds of landing a franchise-changing player when they pick higher. However, in recent years, we have seen several instances where teams have traded down and still come out on top. Since 1980, only 10 teams with a top-three pick have traded down and stayed within the lottery. These trades have shaped eras and helped teams build their rosters. Some notable examples include the Celtics trading No. 1 to the Warriors for Joe Barry Carroll in 1980, the Magic trading No. 1 to the Warriors for Chris Webber in 1993, and the Sixers trading No. 2 to the Nets for Keith Van Horn in 1997. In 2025, the Spurs hold the second pick and the Sixers are third. Both teams are not actively shopping their picks, but they are listening to offers from other teams. Sources say that New Orleans (seventh) and Brooklyn (eighth) have reached out about moving up in the draft. The teams drafting fourth through sixth—the Hornets, Jazz, and Wizards—all have three top-45 picks and a stash of future ammo, making them potential suitors as well. Even the Sixers reportedly inquired with the Spurs about swapping spots. The Spurs’ situation is unique. They drafted guard Stephon Castle in the lottery last year and later traded for point guard De’Aaron Fox. Now they are in position to pick Rutgers point guard Dylan Harper, a 6-foot-5 guard with a shaky jumper. The Spurs likely wouldn’t have traded for Fox if they knew they’d end up with Harper, who doesn’t fit their need for a knockdown shooter. Philadelphia’s problem is different. Harper’s teammate, Ace Bailey, is a high-variance bet as a 6-8 shot-maker with tantalizing upside but little discipline and shaky playmaking and defense. The Sixers are not in the business of developmental projects when they are trying to win with Joel Embiid and invest in a future that can survive without him. Bailey checks the future box but not the present-day box. However, Harper actually fits better in Philly than in San Antonio since Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain provide elite shooting in the backcourt, plus other role players can create enough space that mitigates the need for Harper to ever become a knockdown shooter. And Bailey makes more sense for a team like Brooklyn or New Orleans—or any franchise that can afford to roll the dice on upside. So the question becomes: If San Antonio and Philly don’t love the board, and other teams do, could we finally see a top-three trade down? Here are four prospects who’d make the most sense if the Spurs and 76ers move back and add assets:

1. Kon Knueppel, Duke guard: The smartest pick on the board. Knueppel is a sniper with a deep range, quick release, and smart movement. He could end up playing 15 years and making everyone he shares the floor with better.
2. Tre Johnson, Texas guard: The most dynamic shooter. Johnson is compared to Ray Allen for his use of screens, setting his feet, and shooting well from every spot on the floor. He also has point-guard chops that could manifest at the next level.
3. VJ Edgecombe, Baylor wing: The high-motor wild card. Edgecombe plays with a fearlessness at all times on the floor, no matter