The outcome of the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery could determine the direction of the Philadelphia 76ers’ franchise moving forward.
Joel Embiid has proven himself to be a potential All-Star. Ben Simmons was among the more highly-praised prospects in the past decade. And, while those two certainly have a stranglehold on how successful this Philadelphia 76ers squad will be in the upcoming years, far too many people are overlooking just how massive the impact of this year’s draft class could end up being on the Sixers’ future — and that all starts in the NBA Draft Lottery this upcoming Tuesday.
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May 16th, for all intents and purposes, could be the determinant for how this team plans to operate around Embiid and Simmons. Another point guard could drastically shift Brett Brown’s offensive plans, while adding a player like Jonathan Isaac or Jayson Tatum would force Brown to budget his time creatively in the frontcourt. Whether it be schematic or via sheer talent alone, any potential outcome in this year’s lottery could have a profound affect on how this Philadelphia squad approaches the remainder of their process-driven rebuild.
It’s easy to forget just how talent-laden this group of incoming rookies really is. As Bryan Colangelo said when speaking with Keith Pompey, “there’s a lot of talent at the top… this is a group of players that, within the top 10, there are multiple prospects that could become potential all-stars.”
That’s a sentiment that’s generally unchallenged at this point in the pre-draft process. After a handful of lackluster rookie classes, this year has the potential to add a handful of generational talents into the fold in the coming years. Markelle Fultz has established himself as the best point guard prospect since Kyrie Irving, and likely a better one at that. Josh Jackson and Dennis Smith are athletic anomalies, while Lonzo Ball’s basketball I.Q. has garnered Jason Kidd comparisons since his first handful of games at UCLA.
That goes without mentioning Jonathan Isaac, Jayson Tatum, Malik Monk or De’Aaron Fox — all of whom may have been top 3 picks last year.
The Sixers could end up drafting the player that buoys their oft-underwhelming perimeter offense, or the next defensive cog that cements them as one of the league’s more effective two-way rotations.
Markelle Fultz is perhaps the best example of that franchise-altering potential.
If the Sixers are able to slide up to the top spot come June, Fultz has the skill set needed to — in time — be their best player. His physical tools in combination with a well-rounded scoring arsenal and exceptional court vision leaves him with very few holes in his game, while also giving him a number of elite characteristics on both ends of the floor. Defensive hustle was his main point of critique during the season, and that’s a problem that’s far from abnormal for talented players carrying the lion’s share of their team’s offensive workload.
MORE DRAFT: Analyzing Markelle Fultz's Potential
When considering the fact that Fultz was the only viable offensive player on Washington’s team, that deficiency becomes even more understandable, if not expected.
Even outside of Fultz, though, lies talents who could dictate how the Sixers play. Lonzo Ball would translate into a free-flowing, transition-oriented offense with a wealth of back door cuts, pindowns and ample off-ball movement offensively behind two of the most gifted playmakers to enter the league in recent years. Tatum would give the Sixers a go-to option at the three spot, while potentially giving them more length defensively by pushing Robert Covington to the two spot. Jonathan Isaac would compound that notion of added length tenfold.
Next: Ranking the 2017 NBA Draft's Best Prospects Into Tiers
This is a Sixers rebuild that is, in some ways, at a crossroads. And while that isn’t inherently negative, it does emphasize just how important the ping pong balls are in the coming days. Two lottery picks could shift their rebuild into overdrive, while a lucky bounce to the top could give them three of the best prospects in the past five years.
And, if all else fails, Joel Embiid will be there. That essentially insures that something positive will happen.