The 2018–19 Philadelphia 76ers season was the 70th season of the franchise in the National Basketball Association. In the 2017–18 season, the 76ers were led by Joel Embiid, who played in his first All-Star Game, and 2018 Rookie of The YearBen Simmons. During the season, the team made some major trades, In November, they traded Dario Saric, Robert Covington, Jerryd Bayless, and a 2022 second round pick, for Jimmy Butler and Justin Patton. Then just before the trade deadline, they acquired Tobias Harris, Boban Marjanovic and Mike Scott, in exchange for Landry Shamet, Wilson Chandler, Mike Muscala, the Sixers own 2020 first round pick, and the Miami Heat's unprotected first round pick in 2021 and two second round picks in 2021 and 2023. Finally, they traded Markelle Fultz to the Orlando Magic, for Jonathon Simmons, and a first and second round pick. The 76ers would win one less game then the previous season, going 51–31, and clinching the 3rd seed playoff spot for the second consecutive season. In the playoffs, the 76ers defeated the Brooklyn Nets in the first round in five games, but lost to the Toronto Raptors in the Eastern Conference Semifinals in seven games due to a Kawhi Leonardbuzzer beater in Game 7, which gave the Raptors a 92–90 victory.
Entering the 2018 NBA Draft, the 76ers had two first round picks and four second round pick. Their top selection was previously acquired through a three-way trade involving the Milwaukee Bucks and Phoenix Suns, with the Suns trading away the Los Angeles Lakers' selection in exchange for Brandon Knight, while Philadelphia traded Michael Carter-Williams to Milwaukee, joining Tyler Ennis and Miles Plumlee. Their other first round pick would be their own selection, which rose up as high as #26 thanks to their 17-game winning streak ending the previous season. Philadelphia also acquired two straight selections in the second round at #38 & #39 through trades with the Brooklyn Nets and New York Knicks respectively. Furthermore, the 76ers held two of the last five picks of the 2018 NBA Draft, with the #56 selection being their own and the last pick of the draft being from the Houston Rockets as a part of Houston's ultimate blockbuster trade to acquire Chris Paul from the Los Angeles Clippers. By the end of the night, their number of selection were cut in half. Originally, the 76ers selected local small forward Mikal Bridges from Villanova University with the #10 pick of the draft. However, the 76ers would trade Bridges to the Phoenix Suns in exchange for the Miami Heat's unprotected 2021 first round pick and the 16th pick of the draft, which became shooting guard Zhaire Smith from Texas Tech University. Despite starting out the previous season as a less-than-highly regarded prospect, Smith grew his game to be one of the more highly regarded players of the season, as well as a key reason for Texas Tech's journey into the Elite 8. In 37 games played for Texas Tech, he averaged 11.3 points, 5 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.1 blocks per game, which resulted in him earning spots on both the Big 12 All-Defensive Team and Big 12 All-Newcomer Team. Next, with their original first round pick at #26, Philadelphia selected shooting guard Landry Shamet from Wichita State University. Shamet was a redshirted sophomore who was previously the MVC Freshman of The Year and an All-MVC First Team member in his redshirted freshman year before a conference change lead to him being a member of the All-ACC First Team in his last season at Wichita State. During that season, Shamet averaged 14.9 points, 5.2 assists, 3.2 rebounds, and 0.7 steals in 31.7 minutes per game throughout 32 games played and stated. As for their second round picks, all of their original selections there would be traded. With the 38th pick, Philadelphia traded that selection to the Detroit Pistons in exchange for two future second round picks. A selection later, the 76ers traded the German small forward Isaac Bonga to the Los Angeles Lakers in exchange for the Chicago Bulls' 2019 second round pick and cash considerations. Finally, with their last two second round picks, they would trade both of those second rounders to the Dallas Mavericks in exchange for Dallas' original last second round pick, which was Southern Methodist Universitypoint guard Shake Milton at the 54th pick. Throughout his time at Southern Methodist, Milton earned an honor for each season played there, with an All-ACC Rookie Team spot being acquired in his freshman year, and two All-ACC Second Team spots acquired during both his sophomore and junior years respectively. During his last season there, Milton recorded 18 points, 4.7 rebounds, 4.4 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.6 blocks in 36.4 minutes per game throughout 22 games played and started before ending his season prematurely with a hand injury.
