The 2017 NBA Draft is vital for the progress of the Philadelphia 76ers. Learn how the NBA Lottery odds impact the NBA Draft for the Sixers
At the 2015 NBA trade deadline, the Philadelphia 76ers acquired the Los Angeles Lakers’ conditional first round pick for the following draft. But that pick had protections which limited when that pick could be used. As such, if the Philadelphia 76ers did not receive that year, they would receive in a later draft.
Philadelphia 76ers
Long story short, Philadelphia finally have a good chance to acquire that pick this draft (a 53.1% chance, in fact), which would potentially give the 76ers two picks inside the top five. Very good news.
But another draft pick in the fray does not just give Philly another swing at the ball, or at least it shouldn’t. Another pick should change the draft strategy completely. Or should it?
Not BPA Draft
The Philadelphia 76ers are no longer a “best player available” draft setting. Yes, the team must be focused on landing the best talent available in the NBA Draft, but the reality is that some very talented individuals are simply not a great fit for this team.
Obviously, depending on where both draft picks land (6 and 7 being the worst case scenario), the strategy going into the night for the 76ers could be a choose your own adventure of unlimited possibilities.
So with that in mind, let’s lay out a handful of possible outcomes that could potentially take place. Remember, this isn’t an encyclopedia, it’s a pamphlet.
Situation I – Guard and Wing
Given the layout of the top prospects, this would probably be the most likely circumstance for the Sixers if the lottery balls were to fall favorably, and probably the best eventuation we could ask for.
At the higher end of the range, players like Markelle Fultz, Josh Jackson and Lonzo Ball are available, where at the lower end of our spectrum, we have options such as De’Aaron Fox, Jayson Tatum and Dennis Smith.
In an ideal world, Fultz and Josh Jackson would be where I would steer these selections, but that would be seventh heaven.
With the amount of guards at the top end of this class, there is a possibility that Philadelphia grabs the wing they like more first and whichever guard that may fall to them.
However, Fultz and Ball are arguably the two best pure picks in the Draft. So essentially, we know nothing.
Just know that if we wind up with two ping-pong balls, there’s about a 90% chance it’s going to be a guard and a wing.
Situation B –Two Guards
This would be mighty ambitious play in more ways than one, and would almost certainly lock Ben Simmons out of the point guard spot – something head coach Brett Brown has said last month that he would not be doing.
But still, the possibilities here are mouth watering – think Ball and Fultz in an ideal world – but that is in the 99th percentile of “things that are unlikely to happen”.
But this is a small ball NBA right now, and we know that head coach Brett Brown had better than expected results when he played his version of the small ball lineup. Two guards might be the Philadelphia 76ers hedging a tall ball lineup with small ball options.
The only other way I see this happening is if Philly opt to go with a point guard like Malik Monk, which would round out an extremely talented starting five.
But after Brett Brown’s’ recent recommitment to his vision for Simmons as a point, I see this as an unlikely eventuation.
Situation C– Two Wings
Similar to the two guards situation, this would keyhole Ben Simmons into the point guard role with little wiggle room. Still, more length and athleticism is never a bad thing, especially if it’s mixed in with some shooting.
The obvious top prize for this strategy would be Josh Jackson, but Markelle Fultz could potentially come into play as a long term shooting guard also.
Other prospects worth looking at here include Jayson Tatum and Malik Monk, but another worth exploring could be Florida States’ Jonathan Isaac.
Billed as a tweener, Isaac has many pundits (myself included) concerned over whether or not he’ll actually be any good in the NBA given the raw nature of his abilities.
This prospect becomes even less enticing given the strong play of Dario Saric this year, who looks to take up the one tweener spot available on an NBA roster for the 76ers. Still, the Philadelphia 76ers appear happy to stockpick versatility over elite talent at one position.
Unless we’re able to land either Fultz or Jackson, I don’t see much promise in this line of thinking.
Situation D – Pick and Trade
I don’t see the Philadelphia 76ers trading out of the 2017 NBA Draft completely. But if the right offer came along for one of their selections, Bryan Colangelo would not be doing his job if he did not explore it.
You see, Bryan Colangelo tends to favor veterans.
That being said, any trade would likely have to include an enticing prospect and a future pick to tempt Philadelphia into a swap. I don’t see anyone (realistically available in a trade) that has played more than three years in the NBA as worth trading for.
I’m not going to moot any potential trades here – all that would do is make me look like an idiot. But those are my rules that govern trading a high lottery pick.
Still, there are plenty of teams in the NBA ready to blow things up and start over. And for those teams still holding onto their front office personnel, quite a few have been added to the potential hot seats this year.
Desperate times call for desperate measures. The Philadelphia 76ers could land a good trade package if their trading partner is one such desperate team.
Conclusion
It’s the only situation that makes any real sense, so if Philly were able to nab another Draft pick, I see the guard and wing situation as the most likely.
Two picks in the top five would be a dream, and also highly unlikely, which means I think Malik Monk will be a lock for the second of the two picks as the most likely guy available when our second swing rolls around.
But the Draft – especially when discussing two picks – is like trying to skip a stone across a lake. It’s part art, part science, never exact, and it can still fail even if you think you do everything right.
Next: Who in the 2017 NBA Draft fits best alongside Ben Simmons?
Congratulations on making it through to the end of my article, and learning almost nothing more than you already knew about the Draft.
BONUS SCENARIOS
Just to give you something tangible to take away, I’ve listed off my 15 best two pick scenarios regardless of which picks we actually wind up with.
1. Markelle Fultz and Josh Jackson
2. Josh Jackson and Lonzo Ball
3. Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball
4. Markelle Fultz and Jayson Tatum
5. Josh Jackson and De’Aaron Fox
6. Josh Jackson and Jayson Tatum
7. Josh Jackson and Dennis Smith
8. Lonzo Ball and Jayson Tatum
9. Markelle Fultz and Malik Monk
10. Josh Jackson and Malik Monk
11. Lonzo Ball and Malik Monk
12. Jayson Tatum and Dennis Smith
13. De’Aaron Fox and Malik Monk
14. Jayson Tatum and Malik Monk
15. Dennis Smith and Malik Monk