2017 NBA Draft Twitter Mailbag: Answering Your Sixers Draft Questions

Who’s the Sixers’ First Reasonable Target Outside the Top 5?

While this may not be the most cutting edge response, this one has to be Malik Monk. I don’t think the Kentucky sharpshooter is going to work his way into the top five, and he should be at the forefront of the Sixers’ pursuits after that point.

Monk projects more as a two-guard than a point guard, and that’s a concern that has been well-documented given his stature at 6-3. That really shouldn’t bother the Sixers much, though, given the current make up of their rotation. Philadelphia already boasts a capable playmaker in Simmons, which would allow Monk to comfortably slide into the rotation as the de facto point guard while still spending the majority of his time off the ball offensively

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In terms of shooters, there’s nobody in the draft that can hit from distance at a high volume like Monk. He has a short, compact stroke that allows him to get off shots with little to no room on the perimeter. The Sixers could easily run him through a slew of screens for some easy, high quality looks from deep, and he boasts the ball handling skills and straight-line ability to create his own shot off the bounce as well.

There are some legitimate concerns about his ability to guard larger two guards, as well as get to the rim, but the Sixers have all the tools needed to effectively offset those. He’s a scorching-hot shooter, and somebody who has the swagger and confidence of a high octane scorer at the next level. Philadelphia could certainly use that in the backcourt.

There’s also a chance that either Isaac or Tatum falls outside the top 5, in which case they become very real considerations for obvious reasons.

If Not Fultz, Dennis Smith Jr. or Lonzo Ball?

In the 2017 NBA Draft, neither Ball nor Smith are great fits with Simmons from a skill perspective, but Smith has to take the cake here based on talent alone. He’s an incredible athlete, whose shooting has shown immense improvement as of late. He has all the tools needed to make do as both a slasher and off-ball scorer when needed, and boasts a far more diverse offensive arsenal than Ball — thus his selection in this scenario.

Ball is an incredible playmaker, and there’s likely nobody better than him in that regard when it comes to this draft class. The problem with him, though, lies with the remainder of his game. He’s a capable spot-up shooter, but his funky release makes it difficult for him to generate much of his own offense and he struggles at time to get much going in the halfcourt.

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He’s simply not a big time scorer, and taking him out of the main ball handling role in transition is only going to lessen that. He either neutralizes Simmons or vice versa, and I just don’t see enough there to warrant taking him over a potentially-generational talent like Smith.

Smith clearly needs the ball in his hands quite a bit too, and it’s somewhat of an awkward fit either way. But, Smith simply boasts the higher upside. He still isn’t playing at 100 percent after tearing his ACL before his senior season in high school, and he has nonetheless shown an ability to simply outclass defenders from an athletic standpoint.

If his shooting continues to trend up, his talent alone is merit enough to try out his fit alongside Simmons. I wouldn’t take Ball anywhere near the top 5 as of right now. I’d jump on Smith at the 2nd spot, if the Sixers rose that high in the lottery.

Best 5th-6th Pick Combination?

The Lakers are going to make something like this difficult given their recent struggles, but why not take a swing at it just in case? If the Sixers land two picks — at 5 and 6 in this case — the ideal combination would assuredly consist of an elite guard an elite wing to balance out the perimeter. So, with that in mind, I think an idealistic return here would be Isaac and Monk.

Related Story: Philadelphia 76ers Success Won’t Ruin 2017 NBA Draft Outlook.

Isaac’s stock is trending up, but with Fultz, Ball, and Smith likely locked in the top 5 and both Josh Jackson and Jayson Tatum in that conversation, there’s a solid chance he’ll last until the Sixers’ first selection.

This doesn’t give the Sixers a true point guard, but they don’t need that at this point. Simmons can run the offense, with Monk slotted more as a score-first option slotted at the point guard on the defensive depth chart. Isaac would accompany Simmons at the forward spots, and Embiid could round out the rotation alongside someone like Nik Stauskas or Robert Covington.

They get a perimeter shooter that instantly improves their spacing in virtually every facet, as well as a high-risk, ultra-high-reward swingman in Isaac to cultivate on the wing. Both are capable shooters who have operated seamlessly off the ball this year, and Isaac has proven himself capable of operating in a team-friendly role with improved passing and ball handling along the exterior.

The defensive combination of Embiid-Simmons-Isaac could boast excellent returns, and their offense — long term at the very least — would make some considerable leaps in the right direction. This would be near-perfect.