Thursday, October 1, 2026
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The Philadelphia 76ers are less than a week away from the 2026 NBA Draft. As they prepare and review their options, trading up from No. 22 remains a possibility. Among the top potential targets should the Sixers move up is Morez Johnson Jr., but would he be worth trading up for?
Johnson's physical tools and defensive versatility immediately stand out. At Michigan, he played alongside likely lottery draftees Aday Mara and Yaxel Lendeborg, but still managed to stand out. Together, the trio helped to form an elite Wolverine defense that led the nation in opponent field goal percentage (38.2). Initially expected to be available around the Sixers’ range at 22, Johnson has stormed up draft boards after an impressive showing at the NBA Draft Combine.
At the combine, Johnson measured in at 6 feet 9 inches without shoes, less than ideal, but not problematic when considering his impressive 7-foot 3.5-inch wingspan and standing reach of 8 feet 11 inches. The measurements are solid, but it was the athletic testing where he truly stood out. Johnson finished among the top five with a 10.59 lane agility time, the same as projected lottery guard Brayden Burries. He finished the shuttle run with a faster time than AJ Dybantsa, Darryn Peterson, Cameron Boozer, Caleb Wilson, Brayden Burries and Darius Acuff. Johnson’s 3.17-second sprint time and 39.0-inch vertical leap also impressed and altogether paint the picture of a player with the functional athleticism to maximize his long-term potential. Johnson showed enough as a shooter to give hope to his long-term shot development.
It’s rare for a rookie to come into the league with plus-level strength, especially at just 20 years old, and that advantage will help him contribute from day one. As a big, he’s nearly the total package defensively, having the length and strength to make an impact at the rim while also possessing the athleticism, hip flexibility and footwork to defend on the perimeter as well. Johnson projects as one of the most versatile defenders in this draft class, with the tools to guard all five positions.
That switchability and rebounding ability give Johnson a path to early rotation minutes and could make him a candidate to start for some teams, even as his offensive game develops. For now, he’s little more than a rim-runner, but there is potential to grow. Johnson’s jump shot will have to be further developed, but his form, while imperfect, is fluid and comfortable with a high release point. It’s more about fine-tuning, increasing his volume and ideally speeding up his release if possible.
Outside of shooting, Johnson’s other area of opportunity is as a playmaker. This is what could elevate him from good to very good. As a shooter, Johnson is far enough along that he could be expected to keep teams honest at the very least. As a playmaker, he lacks the handle and vision to comfortably operate as a DHO initiator, despite his impressive screen-setting ability. Johnson also struggles with pushing the ball in transition, often susceptible to turnovers on outlet passes. Pushing the pace after securing the defensive rebound is a crucial aspect of Nick Nurse’s offensive game plan, and a player who struggles to read the court properly in such situations would cause some frustration, but if Johnson develops as a decision-maker, he could become the type of low-usage, high-impact role player every contender covets.
Role players are often miscategorized as bench players. More accurately, they’re specialists and connective talents that are crucial to winning. A high motor, rebounding, connective passing and defensive versatility are all hallmarks of winning basketball and an ideal role player displays several, if not all, of these traits. Josh Hart, who is fresh off playing an integral role with the NBA Champion New York Knicks, stands out as such a player.
Johnson’s size, strength, defensive skill and versatility place him comfortably on a spectrum between Isaiah Stewart of the Detroit Pistons and former Sixer Al Horford. His time in Philadelphia may cause some Sixers fans to forget the athleticism and overall excellence that Horford displayed in his years with the Atlanta Hawks and first tenure with the Boston Celtics. If Johnson’s peak is closer to Stewart, that’s no slight either. The Pistons’ backup big was instrumental to Detroit’s season as the top seed in the Eastern Conference and while he’s reportedly now on the trade block, several competing teams, including the Celtics, Spurs, and Heat, according to NBA Insider Jack Fischer.
To reach Horford's level, Johnson will have to develop his jump shot. That's currently the biggest difference between the two, though shooting was also a developmental area for Horford at this same stage in his career. As for Stewart, Johnson’s height is in this case an advantage, one that gives him a more likely chance to consistently maintain a starting position long term, as does the more controlled aggression he’s displayed.
In either case, Johnson's overall profile gives him a relatively high floor, though whether he becomes a long-term starter may depend on the development of his jumper and playmaking. The more important question is whether or not that type of upside is worth the cost of moving up to draft him.
The unfortunate news for Philadelphia is that the league has locked in on Johnson’s ability and potential. The Oklahoma City Thunder, who own the 12th and 17th picks in this draft, have been heavily linked to Johnson and have hosted him for a workout, as have the Golden State Warriors (11) and Miami Heat (13). The current expectation is for him to be a lottery selection, with the Charlotte Hornets (14) often considered as his floor, meaning the Sixers would have to move up at least eight spots to have a realistic chance at drafting Johnson.
The most recent example of a similar move is the New Orleans Pelicans trading up from 23 to 13, sending the Atlanta Hawks what became the No. 8 pick in this draft. At the time, the move was largely seen as an overpay, but for the Sixers’ potential trade partner, it will be pointed to as the expected market price, with the strength of this draft class only potentially raising it further.
The Sixers control first-round picks in each draft between 2026 and 2032, including two from the Los Angeles Clippers, an unprotected first in 2028 and a top-3 protected swap in 2029. With the expected changes coming to the NBA’s draft lottery, future first-round picks have seen their worth skyrocket, making teams across the league more hesitant to part with them.
If all the Sixers have to do is make their way to 14, one of the Clippers' picks would potentially get the deal done, but their biggest threat, by all appearances, is the Thunder. To get them to agree to move down ten spots — or to leap them, which may be their only true path — would likely have an even higher cost.
Johnson projects as a strong fit alongside Tyrese Maxey, VJ Edgecombe and even Joel Embiid, as he could make up for Embiid’s shortcomings as a rim protector and rebounder at this stage in his career. Whether Johnson is worth the cost of moving up may depend less on the player himself than on how the organization views its competitive timeline. While Sixers’ President of Basketball Operations Mike Gansey frequently spoke about Philadelphia’s “Big Four” and the team’s focus on building around them, the future is far less certain for Paul George and Embiid than it is for Maxey and Edgecombe.
These are the factors for Gansey and his front office to consider. Whether or not Johnson is worth the significant price that will come with trading up so high is up to them and will signal just how far away they feel they are from contention.
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