The Sixer Sense
Fansided

Philadelphia 76ers Hopes Go Beyond 2017 NBA Draft.

By Bret Stuter

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /
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Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers number one overall draft pick Ben Simmons (25) and number twenty-fourth overall draft pick Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (20) pose for a photo with President Of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo (L) and owner Josh Harris (R) at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers number one overall draft pick Ben Simmons (25) and number twenty-fourth overall draft pick Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot (20) pose for a photo with President Of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo (L) and owner Josh Harris (R) at the Philadelphia College Of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports /

Best Draft BPA

Ultimately, the best draft for an NBA team is the best player available.  That happens when that NBA is so filled with holes that the team benefits from talent to any position.  Conversely, the best player available also occurs when the team has solid starting talent at all five positions, and therefore has the luxury of simply augmenting the roster with the best talent from the draft.

The Philadelphia 76ers are climbing out of scenario one, and are far from scenario two.

In order to place this into perspective,  consider the outcry if the Philadelphia 76ers select in the 2017 NBA Draft with a center or center(s) slotted as the best value at that draft pick.  Would it surprise anyone to see the team trade out of the spot?

In the past, Hinkie would draft the prospect, flip the draftee to a team who coveted him, and land a player he wanted plus added picks.

But at some point in time, this team must unlash the hopes of the future from the draft outcomes, and begin to tether those hopes on this roster today.  If not today, then soon.  While it’s fun to live in the “what if” world of future drafts, the risk is missing a true Joel Embiid gut check to win the game against the Brooklyn Nets.

Next: Philadelphia 76ers Locker Room Not All Fun Games

Ultimately, the NBA is a business.   As such it comes down to the bottom line. While the team is still a work in process, growing the talent on hand is now a higher value than bringing in more talent.
Whenever we do so, at some point we all have to recalibrate.