Do the Philadelphia 76ers need more defense in their frontcourt? A new 2026 NBA mock draft solves that possible problem.
The Philadelphia 76ers' forward room is led by Paul George, Kelly Oubre Jr., and Dominick Barlow.
This group looks solid on paper but could certainly benefit from improvements this offseason, especially because Oubre is set to hit free agency and George is likely to regress further.
One means the 76ers have to do so is the 2026 NBA Draft, as Philadelphia owns the Houston Rockets' first-round pick. They acquired this pick in the trade that sent Jared McCain to the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Bleacher Report's new mock draft sees the 76ers upgrade the forward position by selecting Michigan sophomore Morez Johnson Jr.
"Do non-shooting, 6'9" combo bigs still have a place in this league? If they defend like Johnson, they should," B/R's Zach Buckley wrote. "His offense is all brute force and interior finishing, but his defense could be special."
Johnson is in his first season with the Wolverines and his second collegiate campaign, averaging 13.1 points, 7.2 rebounds, and 1.1 blocks on 62.8% shooting in 34 games played. It's worth noting he won't offer any shooting help from the outside.
One of his biggest strengths is his physical tools, which he uses to excel on both ends of the floor. He has a frame designed for the NBA. The 20-year-old also thrives as a rebounder and defender on all three levels.
The areas he certainly needs to improve on are his playmaking and shooting outside of the paint. He will be a rather simple matchup for defenders at the next level due to his lack of versatility on the offensive end.
Luckily, he'd be joining a frontcourt led by Joel Embiid, who is one of the most talented big men of all-time. If willing, Embiid can take Johnson under his wing and slowly develop out his offense.
The real appeal of selecting Johnson is his defense, so if Philadelphia views that as their biggest need, the Wolverines sophomore may be the prospect to take.
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