With three first round picks, and a long shopping list, the Philadelphia 76ers had lots of ground to cover in the 2016 NBA Draft. They truly optimized their options in the draft.
It was essentially a foregone conclusion that the Philadelphia 76ers were going to take Ben Simmons with the first overall pick in last week’s NBA Draft, but it’s what they did in combination with selecting the Louisiana State University’s stud point forward that really set their draft haul apart from the others.
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Along with opting to take the route many thought they would with the first pick, the Sixers selected two of the 2016 NBA Draft’s most valued but underrated prospects in the later stages of the first round, bringing in a pair of prospects who could make a sizable impact from day one.
Valued in that both appeared as lottery picks on many NBA boards, underrated because both tumbled unceremoniously out of the top 10, then top 20, and finally to the Philadelphia 76ers at picks 24 and 26 respectively.
This was a difficult enough challenge to do, but from the perspective that the 76er’s front office practically pledged to avoid using either late first round pick, and then to cash in both for prospects many anticipated would be taken as lottery pick, each player fit a glaring need of the team.
In simpler terms, the Philadelphia 76ers shot and killed three stampeding elephants with a BB gun.
Next: Ben Simmons
Ben Simmons
Now, I’ve been steadfast in my opinion that Simmons wasn’t the best basketball fit for the Sixers since day one, with Brandon Ingram and Jamal Murray providing almost idealistic on-court accompaniments to their post-heavy rotation. However, to say Simmons was a poor pick or to call the decision ill advised would be foolish. Out of everybody in this year’s draft, there’s no doubting the fact that Simmons has the highest upside of any player available and gives Philly a sense of superstar potential and team identity that they have severely lacked over the course of past seasons.
Standing at 6’10’’, Simmons is the best play-maker in this year’s draft. He can handle on the perimeter, operate off of screens, and see the floor brilliantly from the post, all while towering over his assigned defender at times and possessing an athletic package that’s hard to keep in front of when he gets moving towards the basket. Simmons can also attack the lane or facilitate from the post like few, if any, players his size can. He gives the Sixers the playmaking they have been looking for in recent years, and although he doesn’t solve their obvious floor spacing issues, his exceptional versatility alone is a massive bonus.
In today’s NBA, being able to switch between positions to the extent that Simmons can is a major rotational boost. His quickness allows him to man either forward spot from an athletic standpoint alone, while his shot blocking and rebounding has the inevitable potential to come at a rate that we see out of some centers. He’s a viable small ball five who can legitimately run an offense, a rare piece of basketball clay that can be molded to fit almost any situation Brett Brown comes across. That, along with the fact that Brett Brown has coached his father, David Simmons, with the Australian national team, makes this a highly valuable selection.
Next: Luwawu
Timothe Luwawu
In addition to the Simmons pick up, the Sixers absolutely excelled with their later first round picks. The first of which, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, (it changed when his parents divorced) is someone I’ve been extremely high on since virtually the beginning of draft preparations. As an elite 3-and-D prospect who excelled overseas with an up-tempo Mega Leks team, I had Luwawu ranked higher than notable names like Buddy Hield as a draft prospect and think, in a vacuum, he has among the more bountiful upsides of any player we saw taken outside the top 8.
Luwawu’s most prominent impact early on will stem from his defensive aptness, a tool that Brett Brown will surely enjoy having in his arsenal. Standing at 6’7’’ with a solid, yet maturing, frame and a lanky wingspan, Luwawu’s defensive instincts are one of the staples of his game. He can guard multiple spots on the perimeter while utilizing his dynamic blend of athleticism and length to get into passing lanes and force turnovers at a high clip. This is a Sixers rotation that has the capability to going big and sliding him in as a versatile two-guard or running the court and have him spearheading that rotation at the three. Either way, his ability to force turnovers and in turn create opportunities in transition will be extremely valuable moving forward.
Alongside his defensive contributions, Luwawu’s improved offensive game over recent months has been a pleasant sign for his NBA projection. The Frenchman’s best qualities on offense come on the fastbreak, as he runs the court with great strides and handles well when operating at breakneck speeds. He’s an explosive finisher at the basket and an underrated passer in terms of kicking the ball out to open teammates on the perimeter. He has shown signs of seeing the floor better than an average wing player, and developing that could be a focal point of the Sixers’ developmental team as the acclimate him to the next level of competition.
While Luwawu’s half court offense is admittedly limited in several facets, the upside remains extremely promising for a team that isn’t quite ready to compete at a high level. He upped his three-point percentage greatly over the course of his last season with the team, and possesses the same explosion around the basket and athletic tools that could transform him into a dangerous slasher in time.
As someone who could work well as a running mate for Simmons in what could be a highly flexible rotation, the fact that Luwawu slipped all the way to the 24th spot should be considered a steal by all accounts, and one the Sixers could build on as a legitimate part of their future plans.
Next: Korkmaz
Furkan Korkmaz
As possibly the most overlooked selection out of the trio, the Sixers quickly flipped their 26th pick for the most talked about foreign talent outside of Dragan Bender in Furkan Korkmaz. The Turkish sharpshooter wasn’t the quick point guard fix that many saw the Sixers jumping on, but gives them a skilled athlete with nice touch from beyond the arc that could help them fix a number of other problems they have in the rotation from the two spot.
First and foremost, for those who are unhappy with Nik Stauskas, Korkmaz is an undeniable upgrade. He brings what will likely be a more consistent shooting stroke from deep, alongside excellent athletic tools that allow him to attack off the dribble and create his own offense at a rate we haven’t seen from Stauskas.
Korkmaz gives the Sixers someone to run off of screens on the perimeter and play the part of off-ball marksman they’ve been missing, while also providing a level of isolation scoring prowess that has been drastically undercovered in the pre-draft discussions he was involved in. He’s 6’8’’, making him very rangy for someone playing the two-guard, and could feasibly be worked in at the other wing spot in the rotation when called upon as his body fills out and he adds some more bulk. He has some noteworthy weaknesses on the defensive end, but is far from hopeless on that side of the ball. His length and quickness could definitely be an asset in time, and gives Brett Brown a solid offensive fix that he could mold into Philadelphia’s system and culture. In terms of an NBA comparison, I can see a lot of connections here with Mario Hezonja, who went fifth in last year’s draft. This is excellent value from Philly’s perspective.
Next: A Victory At Last
After years of losing, the Sixers finally pieced together the beginning of a product that fans can be excited for.
For a Sixers team that has dealt with losing at an unprecedented rate over the past few seasons, this Draft was a victory that Philly fans have been waiting for ever since Sam Hinkie took them down the proverbial road of “the Process.”
The Hinkie-induced streak of losing that worked them consistently closer to their goal of a first pick finally paid off, and the Sixers made out with what was arguably the most effective combination of talents taken off the board. After years of injury-riddled big men and moving forth with a plan that was never truly clear, Bryan Colangelo finally turned the tides with a draft that had a defined purpose, geared towards gathering a group of high character, versatile pieces that fill voids that the Sixers haven’t been able to fill in the past.
Next: Why Philadelphia 76ers Signing Barnes Would Be Catastrophic
This was something that Philadelphia not only necessitated to a great extent, but has been well-earned for a group of fans that have been ever-so loyal to an organization that has finally began the process of putting together a team that they can be legitimately excited for.