The San Antonio Spurs moving up to the No. 2 pick could transform the possibility of a Giannis Antetokounmpo trade destination. San Antonio already had a surplus of future draft capital they could use in a trade, but the assured high value of a No. 2 pick certainly further improves their chances.

Dylan Harper is the consensus second best player in the draft, but his positional overlap with De’Aaron Fox and Stephon Castle could lead them to trade down for a player that is a better fit while accruing additional assets. The Spurs traded out of No. 8 at last year’s draft with the Minnesota Timberwolves for a 2031 unprotected first rounder and a top-1 pick swap in 2030. Rob Dillingham could have been an intriguing pick for the Spurs, but the optionality of those future picks are certainly far more valuable to them now, especially with their anticipated backcourt crunch if they do keep Harper.

“The focus now in the Giannis situation is the No. 2 pick, which was gotten by the San Antonio Spurs,” said Brian Windhorst on Friday’s Get Up. “Do the Spurs look to make a package offer for Giannis? Or do they look to move it to another team in this draft? There’s a lot of interest in the No. 2 pick in this draft. This will be where the draft is really decided. Giannis will have a play in that as well.”

Many rival executives expect the Spurs to eventually keep the selection to pick Harper.

The Philadelphia 76ers are expected to listen to trade offers for the third overall pick. With Joel Embiid and Paul George in their thirties and on max contracts, drafting a young player who may need a few years to develop wouldn’t necessarily be the best strategy if they’re trying to maximize their title odds with their existing core.

If the Sixers keep the pick, it is unclear who they would target at No. 3. Ace Bailey is considered by some to be the third best player in the draft, but he is a prospect who is more theoretical with big upside. Bailey also doesn’t perform well in the kinds of statistical models that Daryl Morey’s front offices are typically known to value.

VJ Edgecombe could be a more logical fit, but his lack of size alongside an already small backcourt of Tyrese Maxey and Jared McCain is a drawback.

“I’ve also gotten a wider sense of appreciation from NBA front offices for Edgecombe than Bailey,” writes Sam Vecenie at The Athletic.

Kon Knueppel would fill a need for the Sixers and could contribute right away, but he doesn’t have the type of upside teams typically seek at No. 3. Tre Johnson is a good shooter, but his defensive concerns are legitimate. Khaman Maluach would give the Sixers a backup center option behind Embiid, but No. 3 would be high for him to be selected.