2017 NBA Draft Simulations Make Philadelphia 76ers Look Good

The Philadelphia 76ers 2017 NBA Draft simulations reveal more reason for optimism next season.

The Philadelphia 76ers have never been lucky in the fortunes won by random odds. As the Philadelphia 76ers struggled for wins, an ever more damaging struggle happened when the NBA placed lottery balls into the machine.   In 2013, the team landed at eleventh.  In the 2014 and in 2015, the team landed at third.  It was not until the team parted ways with Sam Hinkie that the NBA Draft finally shined for the Philadelphia 76ers with the first pick of the NBA Draft.

However, the man who admittedly held “the longest view in the room” saw far enough ahead to set up the team for an encore.

So what can the Philadelphia 76ers do for an encore?  Well, how about 1, 7, 41 and 60?  That’s the current “best guess” draft pick projection for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Swarm and Sting

Lottery Magic

Right now, the Philadelphia 76ers are tied for last place in the NBA with an 8-24 record.  That gives both the Brooklyn Nets and the Philadelphia 76ers an equal chance of landing that coveted top pick of the NBA Draft. Unfortunately, the Brooklyn Nets will never reap the benefits, as the Boston Celtics, currently 20-14, hold the right to swap first round picks with the Nets.  And so, by the strangest circumstances, the Boston Celtics fans are actually rooting for the Philadelphia 76ers to find success.

Despite the tie, the 76ers finish this season is not as desperate to land at the one or even top two spot.  That’s because this NBA Draft actually has anywhere from 9-12 players who may make an impact in the NBA.

Rich Draft

Which brings us to that second pick, currently projected at 7, from the Los Angeles Lakers. At seven, the team can land another bona fide starter.  From the field of Josh Jackson, Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball, Harry Giles, Jayson Tatum, Malik Monk, Jonathon Isaac, Miles Bridges, De’Aron Fox, O.G. Onunoby, Frank Ntilikina, Josh Jackson, and Dennis Smith Jr.. If you want to read up on the majority of these NBA-stars-to-be, Sixer Sense’s resident scout Christopher Kline has the goods for you in his Top 10 Prospects Watch List.

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But the fun won’t end there.  The Philadelphia 76ers land two starters in round one, but may score another in round two. That is if you check out the same Christopher Kline’s Second Tier Talent’s list.  At 41 and 60, the team could focus on a raw talent in the front court to develop for the future.  In fact, recent changes in the new NBA NBPA Collective Bargaining Agreement will give the 76ers roster room for two talents to develop exclusively with their D-League affiliate, the Delaware 87ers.

Build Around The Core

The Philadelphia 76ers have core players now. The seeds planted by Sam Hinkie are beginning to germinate. Right now, the team is betting the house on the upside of Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.  For the rest of the 2016-2017 season, the team is focusing on determining which players on the roster can play alongside the two franchise players. At the same time, the team must reconstruct a solid bench of players who can contribute when the opportunity presents itself.

The 2017 NBA Draft could net two starters, and perhaps four solid roster slots filled.  With center Joel Embiid and point guard Ben Simmons, the team can fill the bench with versatile players like Dario Saric, Robert Covington, Nik Stauskas, Jerryd Bayless while committing starting roles to elite prospects like Markelle Fultz, Malik Monk, and the like.

2017 Year Of The Climb

Jerry Colangelo stated on February 2016 that the Philadelphia 76ers would be very competitive in three years. At the time, the claim seemed to border on outlandish.

But standing on Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons and two lottery draft picks in the 2017 NBA Draft, it really doesn’t sound outlandish.

Next: Rockets Looking for a Big Man, Could Sixers Take Advantage?

Injuries to the Philadelphia 76ers starting roster may have delayed the climb, but it has not prevented it.   From the Trust the Process moving to The Build, the Philadelphia 76ers have been launching like a Saturn V cluster towards a nearby planet.  2017 will be the third stage, the Year Of the Climb.

Don’t forget to pack your oxygen.