Sixers trade-down options, Thomas Sorber injury update, and more NBA draft combine notes

CHICAGO — The 76ers keeping their first-round pick following last Monday’s dramatic draft lottery provides them with optionality.

The most straightforward, of course, is taking a player at No. 3, where Rutgers wing Ace Bailey and Baylor guard VJ Edgecombe are the most popular choices among outside evaluators and those who compile mock drafts.

The Sixers could also opt to trade down, where there are some intriguing players such as Texas guard Tre Johnson, Maryland big man Derik Queen, and Duke wing Kon Knueppel.

» READ MORE: Baylor’s VJ Edgecombe wants to become a ‘two-way star.’ Should the Sixers draft him third overall?

Johnson might be the best pure scorer in this draft class, after averaging 19.9 points per game on 39.7% shooting from three-point range at Texas.

He said during Wednesday’s media availability that he is comfortable playing on and off the ball, and tries to bring shades of MVP contender Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and multi-time All-Star Devin Booker to his game. Johnson said he has refined that shooting by mentally drilling “being able to do the same thing over and over,” and by becoming more cognizant of efficiency.

“When I was younger, I was just playing and taking whatever shot just felt right,” he said. “Now in the game, I’m thinking, ‘I just missed this shot from over there’ or ‘I missed two jump shots. Maybe I need to try to switch it up and try to do something else and go to the rim.’

“[That’s me] thinking about each shot selection I’m taking and making sure I’m taking the best shot I possibly can.”

Johnson added that he aimed to be self-aware in his interviews with teams, acknowledging that he needs to add strength to his 6-foot-6, 190-pound frame and improve as a defender.

Queen, meanwhile, was coached by new Villanova coach Kevin Willard at Maryland — and was responsible for one of the highlights of the NCAA Tournament when he hit a game-winner against Colorado State.

The Baltimore native said he is open to playing power forward or center at the next level, and is lauded for his skill at those positions. And although the biggest outside critique of Queen’s game is his defense, he believes he is “low-key, a pretty good shot blocker.” He totaled 39 rejections during his season at Maryland.

“I’m not going to get it at the top,” Queen said. “But when the ball’s still in your hands and you try to release it, I feel like I’m going to get a great contest out of it.”

Knueppel could be a plug-and-play option on virtually any roster, because of his elite shooting and underrated ability as a complementary pick-and-roll ballhandler. His shooting splits were an eye-popping 47.9/40.6/91.4, while averaging 14.4 points on a loaded Duke roster.

The 6-7, 217-pound wing said he is working to improve his off-the-dribble shooting, his creativity as a finisher, and his defensive versatility. When asked about NBA players he studies, he highlighted Jimmy Butler’s footwork and Klay Thompson’s shot-release consistency. Knueppel added that two NBA players he has established relationships with include Sixer Jared McCain and Philly native Derek Lively, who both played at Duke.

Because of a sprained ankle, Kneuppel did not partake in the on-court testing at the combine. As of Wednesday, the teams he had met with included the Chicago Bulls, Charlotte Hornets, Brooklyn Nets, Atlanta Hawks, and Orlando Magic.

The combine was peppered with local college ties in Villanova’s Eric Dixon, who is considered a possible second-round prospect, and St. Joseph’s big man Rasheer Fleming, who impressively rose from a zero-star high school recruit into a projected first-rounder.

Fleming said during his media session that since the end of his college career, he has focused on guarding multiple positions and continuing to sharpen his shot. The 6-9, 240-pounder connected on 39% of his 159 attempted three-pointers in 2024-25 — a significant jump from his first two seasons — while averaging 14.7 points and 8.5 rebounds.

» READ MORE: Sixers mailbag: Best fit for the No. 3 pick, realistic Joel Embiid expectations and more

And what will he most take from St. Joe’s to the NBA? The relationships.

“It feels like a second home for me, so it’s like family,” said Fleming, who played at Camden High. “I really just take away just staying who I am. I feel like my personality matches St. Joe’s, and I went there and they built me up, and I am who I am.”

Georgetown’s Thomas Sorber, who grew up in Trenton but played at Archbishop Ryan, was one of college basketball’s breakout players. The two-way, throwback-style big man had ascended to the middle of the first round in some draft projections before a broken foot ended his season in late February.

Sorber, though, is still testing the draft waters. He was walking around with no visible signs of injury at the combine, and said he should be able to start pushing off that foot in a more athletic setting in about a week.

“It feels like I’m back to normal,” Sorber said during his media session. “But I’m not going to rush it.”

Sorber, who averaged 14.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.4 assists, and 2 blocks in 24 games at Georgetown, said that the teams he had met with at the combine included the Bulls, San Antonio Spurs, Utah Jazz, Minnesota Timberwolves, and Detroit Pistons. He added that his agent believes he could still be selected somewhere between the lottery and the early 20s.

“I just try to basically be myself while I’m in those interviews,” Sorber said.

Queen on meeting with the Toronto Raptors: “I’ve never been to Toronto. I heard it’s nice, but I heard they got the worst taxes.”

Knueppel on his mother, Chari, who was a standout college player: “My mom would always tell me how to shoot my free throws, and I didn’t listen. Then I finally listened, and then I shot 91%. Listen to your mom.”

Johnson on his lack of hobbies beyond basketball: “There’s not much to explain. Everything I’m doing is basketball-related. I just got a book, so I’m trying to expand a little bit into reading.” (The book: The Untethered Soul: The Journey Beyond Yourself by Michael Alan Singer.)