Report: Sixers Like Dennis Smith Jr., De’Aaron Fox for Third Pick

The Philadelphia 76ers may be interested in De’Aaron Fox and Dennis Smith Jr. at three — what does that say about their priorities?

New York Daily News reporter Stefan Bondy dropped an interesting tidbit on Wednesday afternoon, wherein he reported the Philadelphia 76ers‘ potential interest in Dennis Smith Jr. or De’Aaron Fox with the third overall pick:

The Sixers like both De'Aaron Fox and Dennis Smith Jr. for the third pick, according to sources.
— Stefan Bondy (@SBondyNYDN) May 24, 2017

While this doesn’t come as an outright surprise given the variety of options at number three, it could hint at the direction Bryan Colangelo and company are looking to go this offseason. Despite an obvious need for improved guard play, neither Smith nor Fox are clear-cut fits in a Ben Simmons-led rotation. With a perimeter scorer of Malik Monk’s ilk virtually assured a spot outside of the top two, the Sixers might be looking for best player, rather than best fit.

To take that notion even further, though, they may be vying for the highest upside.

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As I noted earlier, Josh Jackson epitomizes the concept of talent over fit here. He’s a non-floor spacer who thrives most as a slasher and a transition-oriented creator, something that could clash with Simmons offensively. While his talents still aren’t developed at full capacity yet, he also represents another faction of potential draftees: those who are NBA-ready.

There aren’t many players, even in the midst of a loaded lottery discussion, who are as prepared for NBA caliber competition as Jackson is. His physical tools should allow him to blow up defensive players from multiple positions, while his combination of explosiveness and basketball I.Q. should translate to immediate offensive utility in the right system.

Where his upside stands, however, may not be up to par with the Sixers’ perception of players like Smith and Fox. Jackson’s game isn’t built around scoring, which in some ways restrains just how high his ceiling truly sits. Fox and Smith may fill a different mold.

Fox’s speed is a generational trait, allowing him to expose defensive mismatches in a manner few point guards in recent memory have been capable of. His quickness end-to-end has garnered John Wall comparisons, while his first step is unequivocally faster than anybody else in this year’s class.

The main point of critique has, in turn, been his 3-point shot — where his percentage hovered at a not-so-great 24.2 percent. If Fox is able to get shots to fall at a semi-consistent rate, defenses then have far more limited options in covering him off the bounce. They wouldn’t be able to go under screens, nor would they then be capable of sagging off and preparing solely for a drive.

Combine that with Fox’s constant energy and obvious will to compete, and the Sixers’ interest — even with his obvious lack of fit rotationally — is, at the very least, justified.

Smith is in the same vein, in a sense. A physical anomaly, Smith’s quickness and explosiveness is rivaled only by Fox. He’s a skilled scorer at all three levels, using his shiftiness to create space on a dime, while his pick-and-roll game is among the more dangerous in recent draft classes.

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He also has a cleaner stroke than either Fox or Jackson, with a 3-point shot that could be the most projectable of the elite point guards set to enter the league this June.

Decision-making was the one crux that held Smith back this season, as he often forced the issue and found himself falling prone to overexertion on some offensive possessions — which could be, in part, due to the limited nature of his supporting cast.

That’s a very coachable issue, though, and one the Sixers could be willing to look past in favor of obvious potential, and likewise with Fox’s jumper. If they view those two has higher upside picks in comparison to a solid two-way wing in the mold of Jackson, then there’s a very real chance they’ll opt to go that route come draft night.

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It’s an interesting predicament with a myriad of different viewpoints. As workouts transpire, hopefully we’ll get a clearer picture of how Philadelphia will approach the most pivotal selection in this year’s lottery.