6. Philadelphia 76ers - Khaman Maluach, C, Duke
There's no question that it's been a forgetful start to the season for the Philadelphia 76ers. But it would be insane for the team to give up on the season right now. I highly doubt the Sixers are going to enter the offseason with a top-10 pick in the 2025 NBA Draft. But in the event that I am wrong, it would present the team with a golden opportunity to land another premier talent to help put this team in an even better position to compete for a championship next season. Right now, the Sixers would have a top-10 pick in the NBA Draft.
With the way the team is currently built, it would make sense for the team to use this selection on a frontcourt player. Especially with the continued emergence of Jared McCain, the Sixers' biggest weakness relies on the frontcourt. Finding some much-needed depth in the 2025 NBA Draft, should they finish with such a high draft pick, would be a smart play for the team. One particular prospect that could be of interest to the Sixers is Khaman Maluach. He'd give the team some insurance behind Joel Embiid and hope for the team at the position heading into the future.
Why Khaman Maluach makes sense for the Sixers
The Sixers are loaded at almost every other position. Finding some help next to and behind Embiid should be the play for the Sixers not only in the NBA Draft but probably in free agency for the team during the offseason. Maluach is an extremely raw prospect but his talent is through the roof and is likely going to make him a very appealing target for many teams selecting in the top 10 of this year's NBA Draft. During his first handful of games at Duke, Maluach is averaging seven points and four rebounds on 77 percent shooting from the field.
As he gets more comfortable, you'd expect his minutes to climb - he's currently averaging less than 20 minutes per game. On a team as talented as Duke, it's only natural for Maluach to be overlooked as a prospect. In fact, I'd suggest that he's one of the few players who may never show true complete flashes until he's in a defined development program at the NBA level. The size, athleticism, and raw skill set are there for Maluach to be a good player at the next level. Maybe playing behind Embiid for a few seasons of development wouldn't be the worst idea.