By Adam Aaronson
Copyright phillyvoice
Every year during the preseason, the NBA unveils the results of its GM Survey, where 30 executives answer a large batch of questions ranging from championship favorites to awards picks and underrated figures around the league, from players to coaches.
Last year, the GM Survey might as well have been dedicated to praising the work the Sixers had done in the prior summer, adding nine-time All-Star Paul George to form a big three alongside the recently-extended Joel Embiid and newly-signed Tyrese Maxey.
That optimism, of course, did not turn into success; the Sixers went from the biggest winners of the offseason to one of the biggest losers of the regular season.
How do the same folks feel about the Sixers ahead of the 2025-26 campaign? All mentions of the Sixers or their players:
Eastern Conference rankings
Respondents were asked to pick their top four teams, in order, in a barren Eastern Conference that was gutted by injuries to Jayson Tatum and Tyrese Haliburton. The Cleveland Cavaliers and New York Knicks topped the list in a tier of their own, followed by the Orlando Magic — also in a tier of their own.
Then comes a lot of guesswork. Nobody knows how the middle of this conference is going to look, but the Atlanta Hawks, Detroit Pistons and Milwaukee Bucks appear to be the perceived frontrunners to land the three remaining surefire playoff spots.
The Sixers finished seventh in the GM Survey rankings of the Eastern Conference; 10 percent of voters picked them to be the No. 4 seed.
Which player is most likely to have a breakout season in 2025-26?
The most popular pick here was Amen Thompson of the Houston Rockets, receiving 30 percent of the vote, but his breakout might have already happened. Thompson is clearly a star already, but perhaps the additional spotlight that comes with a reputation (and being Kevin Durant’s teammate) will give Thompson an even bigger bump.
Amen’s twin brother, Ausar, was one of three players to receive 10 percent of the vote, tying for second place with Victor Wembanyama of the San Antonio Spurs (how could someone that good have a “breakout” year?) and Brandon Miller of the Charlotte Hornets.
Among the many players listed in the “also receiving votes” section: Maxey, which is a bit odd given he has already won the Most Improved Player Award, which came in an All-Star campaign.
Which team will be most improved in 2025-26?
Nearly half of voters went with Orlando here; better health and the addition of Desmond Bane should enable the Magic to rise near the top of the Eastern Conference. The Hawks and Spurs tied for second, each nabbing 20 percent of votes.
A total of 10 percent of voters went with the Sixers here, and there is certainly a whole lot of room for them to improve. It is challenging to do much worse than 24-58, after all, but the Sixers making up such significant ground will depend on the availability of Embiid and George, neither of whom are safe bets to be on the floor consistently.
Who will win 2025-26 Rookie of the Year?
By the looks of it, 29 out of 30 voters went with Dallas Mavericks No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg. But one voter made a different pick…
Late last month, Sixers swingman Kelly Oubre Jr. proclaimed that VJ Edgecombe had the highest ceiling of his draft class. It is a bold statement considering the comparisons Flagg has drawn, but clearly plenty of excitement exists surrounding the Sixers’ No. 3 overall pick.
Which rookie will be the best player in five years?
Once again, Edgecombe received one vote here. So did Dylan Harper, the No. 2 overall pick by San Antonio. All of the remaining votes went to Flagg.
Which rookie was the biggest steal at where he was selected in the draft?
It was not realistic for Edgecombe to be in the running here given how high of a pick he was. The leader in the clubhouse was Kasparas Jakučionis, the jumbo guard selected by the Miami Heat at No. 20 overall. Ace Bailey refused to work out with the Sixers and ended up being drafted by the Utah Jazz at No. 5 overall; the Rutgers product tied for second with 10 percent of the vote.
There was a massive collection of players also receiving votes in this section, and one of them was Johni Broome, the Sixers’ No. 35 overall pick in June.
Who is the best head coach in the NBA?
Erik Spoelstra received the majority of the votes, not a surprise given Miami’s historic track record of success and player development. After a 68-win season culminating in a championship, Oklahoma City Thunder head coach Mark Daigenault took home many of the remaining votes.
Only five coaches received any votes and all, but one of them was Sixers head coach Nick Nurse. Nurse and Pacers head coach Rick Carlisle each were listed in “also receiving votes” after the top three of Spoelstra, Daigenault and Los Angeles Clippers head coach Tyronn Lue.
Which team’s level of success this season is toughest to predict?
If there was ever a question designed to get people to choose the Sixers, it is this one. And nearly half of respondents did just that. 47 percent of voters (14 of 30) landed on the Sixers here, no other team had more than two votes.
Which player is the fastest with the ball?
Per the usual, the majority of votes (53 percent) here went to Spurs guard De’Aaron Fox, but four others players received votes. Memphis Grizzlies guard Ja Morant finished in second place, receiving a third of the votes. Behind him was Maxey, the only other player to receive multiple votes (2).
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