Philadelphia 76ers Draft: Optionality and Possibilities: A Sixer Sense Lottery Roundtable Series

Philadelphia 76ers NBA Rountable: NBA Draft Day Scenarios Caused by NBA Lottery

From now until the lottery on May 16th,  The Sixer Sense will be featuring a round table discussion of some of the Sixer Sense contributors. Each day the lottery will be simulated via Tankathon and our contributors will talk through what options the Philadelphia 76ers would have, what trade possibilities as well as a recommendation for who the 76ers should draft.

On May 1st the initial roll from Tankathon.com presented the following draft order:

This is fairly close to worst case scenario for the Philadelphia 76ers, the Lakers pick does not convey and the Sixers get just the 5th pick in the upcoming draft.  The panel of Sixers Sense contributors Bret Stuter,  Jason Blevins, Anthony Depaul, and Lucas Johnson weighed in. So here is what our analysts had to say:

On who may be taken ahead of the Philadelphia 76ers

J Blevins:  Boston taking Fultz seems like a no brainer, Orlando is likely to take Ball to replace Payton and the Lakers either use this as part of a Paul George package or they take Tatum or Josh Jackson. Phoenix likely takes Tatum or Jackson at number four.

On who the Sixers may target at 5

Bret Stuter: Jonathan Isaac

“I think team needs SF here, backcourt seems more robust this offseason than ever before.”

Anthony Depaul: Jonathan Isaac

“It’s Isaac for me too, I think wing market in Free agency is pretty thin as well”

Lucas Johnson: Malik Monk

“I am not an Isaac fan for a couple reason. I feel with the loaded front court of Saric, Simmons, Covington he will have a hard time finding playing time. Also I don’t believe Simmons is not a pure pg but rather a point forward like Lebron, Lamar Odom, or Hedo Turkalu.

So to me drafting a combo guard (Monk) or point guard that can shoot, (Smith) would be a better option than Issac. I also don’t think Issac will live up to potential. When I look at him I see Derrick Williams, Aaron Gordon, or Michael Beasely. Combo forwards taken high in the draft have a hard time translating to the NBA.

Now I don’t think he will be a bust but I think he will best serve as a reserve in his career. I would not waste the 5th pick on a reserve.”

Jason Blevins: Jonathan Isaac

“This all hangs on Simmons being a point guard. If he’s not then it’s tricky. I think Isaac is ultimately a rim protecting stretch four. Still, I do not view him as a small forward.

I don’t quite view Saric as a starter to be honest.  As such, I’m not sure he fits with Simmons or Embiid on the floor quite as well as we might hope. Isaac becomes Embiid insurance defensively as well.

The main reason I like Isaac is he doesn’t need the ball in his hands to be effective so he should compliment Embiid and Simmons quite well on both ends. He will not be an ISO player like monk Tatum or Dennis Smith Jr. but that’s not really what we need. If you get a 6-foot-11 guy who shoots 78 percent from the foul line and 35 percent from three-point range, you have a shooter.”

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On trade possibilities

Jason Blevins:

“To me this is a trade back spot. (Frank) Nktlikina would be worst case. I could see the Knicks moving up to get Monk or DSJ. If the Sixers are commited to the backcourt, then I think you can trade back twospots and still get one of Monk, Smith or Nktilikina.”

Anthony Depaul:

“I think trading back is a very viable option as far back as 9 . But the offer has to be good enough.”

Bret Stuter:

“It takes a specific scenario for another team to really want a five spot. I am uncertain if those conditions occur. I have similar grades on four through nine in this draft.  Now, a team at bottom of lottery will have incentive to do so. Not sure a team with a seven pick will deal for a five, for example.”

Next: Philadelphia 76ers Siphoning Off Youth For Veterans, Even NBA Draft Picks

Consensus

Most of our analysts think that landing in this draft position precludes much in the way of trade possibilities and 3 of 4 think the Philadelphia 76ers will stay put and should draft Jonathan Isaac from Florida State University at #5.