Will Philadelphia 76ers NBA Draft Selections Hinge Upon Age?

Hield, Dunn, Prince, Jackson, or Trimble

If age truly becomes a factor in the ranking of the Philadelphia 76ers draft board, then one or more of the following players will likely have their name called when the Sixers pick: Buddy Hield, Kris Dunn, Taurean Prince, Demetrius Jackson, or Melo Trimble.  Of this group, we have investigated the strengths and weaknesses of Buddy Hield, we have investigated Kris Dunn in the third slide of the likelihood of picking third for the third year in a row, and we have considered the likelihood of drafting Melo Trimble late in round one.  But we have not discussed either Baylor’s senior small forward Taurean Prince nor Notre Dame’s junior point guard Demetrius Jackson.

With the success of Oklahoma’s advance into the Final Four, I would like to point out the fact that Sixer Sense Jaylen Young identified Buddy Hield two months ago as an underdog heading into the draft.  He rightfully pointed out the value of Hield’s age was a strength.   But that point has been missed with Prnce or Jackson.

Perhaps that oversight occurred because both Prince and Jackson are projected to be selected in the middle of the first round, where Hield and Dunn appear to go early in the first round which coincides to the Sixers pick and with the potential Los Angeles Lakers pick, while Trimble is projected late in the first round which happens to be in the neighborhood for either the Miami Heat pick or that of the Oklahoma City Thunder.

But the Sixers, despite four first round picks, have no picks in the teens in round one.   But that assumes many things, none of which are certainties.

The Sixers could trade down from their own first pick if they miss out on their candidates early in the draft.  Perhaps they will convert their first into a later pick in the first round paired with a first round pick next year.  Perhaps they will move down to load up on second round picks, a round that Sam Hinkie has been very active in his short tenure with the Sixers.   But even if the team does not move, one or more of the five mentioned prospects might fall to the Sixers later in the first round.  With a draft heavier on small back court players, there could very easily be a run on front court big men, leaving the smaller guards and small forwards to fall to the Sixers late in round one.

Next: Jackson