The Sixer Sense
Fansided

The Sixers will likely lose the Kings pick, and that’s ok

By Nick Som

LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 8: Markelle Fultz #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the Golden State Warriors during the 2017 Las Vegas Summer League on July 8, 2017 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images)
LAS VEGAS, NV - JULY 8: Markelle Fultz #7 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on during the game against the Golden State Warriors during the 2017 Las Vegas Summer League on July 8, 2017 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, Nevada. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Garrett Ellwood/NBAE via Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

The Philadelphia 76ers are more likely to lose the 2019 Kings pick than the 2018 Lakers pick to the Boston Celtics, but that might be a better result.

Trading up to the first overall pick to draft Markelle Fultz came at a price most Philadelphia 76ers fans were willing to pay, but a price nonetheless. In addition to giving up the third pick, the Sixers will send either the 2018 Los Angeles Lakers first round pick or the 2019 Sacramento Kings first round pick to the Boston Celtics.

Philadelphia 76ers
Philadelphia 76ers /

Philadelphia 76ers

The question is, which one should the Sixers prefer to retain? What outcome should Philly fans be hoping for in all the Tankathon rolls that are sure to happen again this season? The ideal outcome, of course, is getting the number one pick in both years. But failing that, the choice between two highly valuable picks is a difficult one.

At this point in time, it seems highly likely that the Sixers will keep the Lakers pick and give up the Kings pick. Given the lack of protections on the Kings pick, many fans would deem this the less desirable option. However, keeping the Lakers pick might actually be a blessing in disguise, based on how the Lakers and Kings are expected to perform next season and the season after, respectively.

The 2017-18 Lakers

The Lakers are almost certainly going to be a below average team in 2018 once again. They added some solid players in Brook Lopez and Kentavious Caldwell-Pope, but the team’s overall youth and lack of depth will likely prevent them from making a serious run for the playoffs in a Western Conference that’s more competitive than ever. If both Lopez and KCP remain healthy for the whole season (unlikely in Lopez’s case), the two players should be expected to add about 10 Win Shares to the Lakers. That’s not bad, but the team is also losing 8 Win Shares with the departures of Nick Young and Lou Williams.

In order to improve significantly, the Lakers will need Brandon Ingram, Julius Randle, and Larry Nance Jr. to take huge steps forward in their games. Adding Lonzo Ball should help, but most rookies simply don’t make huge impacts. And considering how much stronger the West will be this season, the Lakers will be hard pressed to win many more games.

Must Read: 7 reasons the Sixers will be better than the Lakers

A mid-late lottery finish seems like the most likely outcome for the team. And since the Sixers will only lose the Lakers pick if it falls between second and fifth overall, odds are they will have two first-rounders in the 2018 draft. The lottery can be fickle, but if the Lakers finished with, say, the 8th worst record in the league, there’s only a 7.2 percent chance the Sixers wouldn’t receive the pick (if the pick wound up second or third overall).

The 2018-19 Kings

It’s difficult to project how well a team will perform two years down the road, but that’s not going to stop us from trying. The Kings seem determined to maintain respectability over the course of their upcoming rebuild, signing veterans like George Hill and Zach Randolph. Hill in particular will help prevent the team’s performance from falling off a cliff, but the Kings are still at least several years away from playoff contention.

Still, it’s hard not to look at the Kings’ roster and see some building blocks with potential. De’Aaron Fox, Buddy Hield, Skal Labissiere, Willie Cauley-Stein and Malachi Richardson could all be making positive contributions in 2019.

GET THE APP: The Sixer Sense launches app for iOS & Android

Make no mistake, the Kings aren’t really in an enviable position. Their only chance of gaining a superstar from that group is if De’Aaron Fox somehow develops a jump shot. But there Kings probably won’t be one of the very worst teams in the league. All of their young players will have had at least a season under their belt,

Lakers Pick or Kings Pick?

So it all boils down to if you’d rather just take a mid-lottery pick in 2018, or if you’d prefer betting against the Kings in 2019. The Kings are one of the most dysfunctional franchises in the league, which is why their unprotected pick is so appealing in the first place. But it doesn’t seem likely that they’ll be a true bottom-dweller in two years, which makes the Lakers pick more appealing to the Philadelphia 76ers. A lottery talent in 2018 is preferable to a lottery talent in 2019, all other things being equal.

Next: Sixers' all-time NBA Jam duos

It’s always fun to dream on unprotected picks like the Kings, and envision adding another top-3 pick to the Sixers’ young core. But the odds are against that dream becoming reality, and if the Lakers and Kings perform as well as they are expected to, that might not be such a bad thing.

(All stats via Basketball Reference)