Philadelphia 76ers Cannot Trust 2017 NBA Draft Script

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Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Ben Simmons (LSU) reacts as he walks off stage after being selected as the number one overall pick to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /

How Do Philadelphia 76ers Respond?

This is not an NBA Draft for the weak-hearted. Until the moment that first selection is made, everything is in play. Literally everything.

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Neither the Boston Celtics nor the Los Angeles Lakers move the needle on improving their respective teams immediately in this draft. Unlike the Philadelphia 76ers, they hoarded backcourt talent heading into a backcourt heavy draft class. The 76ers improve the team dramatically with as many as ten players in this draft.

Draft Mobility Key

So the team can try to move up, or consider moving back, and still walk away with a significantly improved roster. But these dynamics are incredibly exciting. Some NBA team may pay the steep price to move into the top two, and have differing opinions of the top players in this class. Concerns over Markelle Fultz’s knees may allow him to slip to the Philadelphia 76ers.

But the forces may also change the dynamics of the Philadelphia 76ers. Too many GMs are in peril in the NBA right now. The blockade of the Cleveland Cavaliers and the Golden State Warriors will force some good NBA teams into desperate moves to try to knock them off. Other teams will simply blow up their highly paid rosters for a rebuild, in hopes to peak after the Warriors and Cavaliers have run their course.