NBA Trade Rumors: Sixers Could Draft Blue Devils' Freshman Center as New Joel Embiid Substitute

The Philadelphia 76ers are projected to be a playoff team before the 2024-25 NBA season. However, the prediction turned into a nightmare when Sixers stars Joel Embiid and Paul George ended up being out for the season.

With a disappointing record, the management needs some changes to remedy the roster concerns. One rumored solution is drafting Khaman Maluach from Duke to be the next Embiid of the team.

76ers Expected to Take Khaman Maluach in NBA Draft

NBA Trade Rumors: Sixers Could Draft Blue Devils' Freshman Center

According to Kevin O'Connor of Yahoo! Sports, the 76ers may pick Duke Blue Devils freshman center Khaman Maluach at No. 5 overall. The pick would give Philadelphia an injection of needed frontcourt depth as well as insurance for Embiid's continued health issues.

O'Connor said that Maluach would serve as an insurance piece behind Embiid while the Cameroonian center was out due to recurring injuries.

Khaman Maluach is an Important Asset That Any Team Could Pick

While offensive players are mostly prized due to their scoring intelligence, Maluach swerves the meta as one of the best defensive prospects for the 2025 draft class. At 7-foot-2 and 250 pounds, the towering Duke center is hard to stop when he's under the ring.

According to Sporting News, the freshman is putting up 8.7 points, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.3 blocks per game, so his numbers aren't exactly staggering. However, there's an upside here in the eyes of experts.

O'Connor considers Maluach as a "work in progress." With the right training to improve his offensive skillset, he could be a deadly threat on both ends of the court. He could be a shooter, a creator, and a screener.

Comparisons to Elite NBA Defenders

Maluach's defensive skills have been compared to some of the league's best shot-blockers. He has been compared to Minnesota Timberwolves star Rudy Gobert and New York Knicks center Mitchell Robinson by analysts.

The fact that Maluach is being compared to a four-time Defensive Player of the Year says a lot about his potential as an elite rim protector in the NBA.

For the next weeks, his draft stock could increase depending on his latest NCAA performance. The Sweet 16 showdown teased some NBA fans about how he's capable of helping the Blue Devils against the Wildcats and Crimson Tide.

As for NBA scouts, Maluach needs to be monitored more to see if his chances of landing an NBA team are possible.