Rumors: Could The Philadelphia 76ers Trade Back?

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May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Los Angeles Lakers general manager Mitch Cupchak represents his team during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. The Philadelphia 76ers received the first overall pick in the 2016 draft. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports /

Los Angeles Lakers

Why? Why would the team holding the second pick of the NBA draft with two stellar talents want to trade up? If they rank one player far higher than the other, and to ensure that they get that player, it makes sense.

What would the cost be? The cost could simply be the 2nd pick of this draft, plus a player. With D’Angelo Russell not quite panning out, would the Lakers be willing to give up their disappointing point guard for the exchange to get to the number one pick?

Possibly.

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If they believe that point forward Ben Simmons is a player in the image of Magic Johnson, the cost of a two and a disappointing point guard is nothing at all. The Lakers should pursue re-signing point guard Jordan Clarkson , and having him secured would be open to moving Russell.

Clarkson is a shooting point guard, having scored 15.5 points per game – second only to Kobe Bryant. The strength of Ben Simmons is that he is a field general. The second top prospect, Brandon Ingram, needs someone to get him the ball to make shot, and that ball distributor is not currently on the Lakers roster just yet.

Once more, the team most in need of Ingram’s shooting services on the wing are the Philadelphia 76ers, and they pick first. Can the Sixers leverage their first pick into obtaining the player that truly fits their needs AND get other assets?

You know this would be a deal Hinkie would certainly pursue. Will the Lakers? They need a front page splash, particularly in their goal of signing top NBA free agents. I don’t think waiting for D’Angelo Russell to mature does anything for that goal, particularly in light of the maturity concerns of Russell’s ability to handle teammates and the locker-room.

Clearing the roster of Russell, and adding Simmons, would be the clean start the Lakers so dearly need.

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