Which 2016 NBA Draft Picks Will Philadelphia 76ers Receive On Draft Day?

Option Three – Que Sera Sera

With this Sixers off-season, perhaps the wisest move is to let events happen naturally.  If the Sixers covet a single player too much, they run the risk of losing objectivity.   I don’t see that happening with Sam Hinkie at the helm.  But Jerry Colangelo, as heralded and lauded as an NBA career could be in the front office, did not always end up on the positive ends of trades.

Nobody does 100% of the time.

So with a plan intact, improvements happening this season, and in the absence of some “too good to be true” offers from a desperate NBA team, could the Sixers just let it ride?

You bet.

In one mock draft, the Sixers are projected to draft Ben Simmons from Louisiana  State University, Melo Trimble from the University of Maryland, and Malik Newman from Mississippi State University. In another, the Sixers project to draft Simmons, Denzel Valentine from Michigan State Univesity, and Guerschon Yabusele from SPO Rouen (France).   In neither mock did the Sixers score on the Los Angeles Lakers first round draft pick.   The odds of the Lakers keeping their pick by getting a top three is only 55.8%.  Right now, the Sixers have a 44.2% chance of getting an additional first round NBA draft pick at either the four or five selecting position.  We’ll find out on lottery day.

Sitting put could land the Sixers both Ben Simmons and Dragan Bender in the same draft, plus two more prospects.   That would give the Sixers an opportunity to field one of the largest teams on the basketball court and also one of the youngest teams in the league.  But with so many young talents on the roster, can they all be mentored, coached, trained, and developed fully?

Next: Why 1-30 Was Good For The Philadelphia 76ers

That’s the question  worth asking.  We know the team is gearing up to be one of the premier NBA franchises in terms of practice facilities and support.  But can the team take on an entire roster of new faces?  That’s a point to consider as we move forward.  Sam Hinkie thought we could, but from the moment Jerry Colangelo arrived the team has emphasized a blending of veteran players in acquiring point guard Ish Smith and power forward Elton Brand.

How will it all play out?  The good news is that we have a bird’s eye view, and we’ll continue to cover this story as it unfolds.  If you feel excited, don’t worry.  The real thrill is yet to come.