NBA Rumors Philadelphia 76ers Learning 5+10 May Equal 3

As the 2017 NBA Draft nears, NBA Rumors whispered of draft day trades are growing louder in volume. Most significant is the momentum of Sacramento Kings offering their five and ten picks for Philadelphia 76ers three.

The Philadelphia 76ers face a great deal of decisions heading into the 2017 NBA Draft. But perhaps the most outlandish scenario is the growing NBA Rumors belief that the Sacramento Kings will offer their five and ten picks for the right to pick at three.

Now that report is tied back to ESPN’s Chad Ford, who insists that the Sacramento Kings are enamored with Kentucky point guard De’Aaron Fox. If that is truly the case, then the focus to get him onto the roster is of paramount importance. Ford speculates that desire for Fox is real enough to give serious debate among Kings front office to try dealing for Fox.  Since the chances of Fox falling to the Philadelphia 76ers are pretty good, that would translate into the Sixers phone ringing as they are on the board.

More from Draft

• Philadelphia 76ers Ten Biggest Mistakes of the Last Ten Years
• The Sixers sign four undrafted players after the NBA Draft
• Players the Sixers should target in undrafted free agency
• How to Watch the 2023 NBA Draft as a Sixers Fan
• 2023 NBA Mock Draft: 5 wing prospects 76ers could target

Doesn’t Make Sense

Bleacher Report’s Tyler Conway has also picked up on this possible scenario.  In Conway’s view, converting two top ten picks into one top three is not a wise course in a deep draft class of 2017. And he may be correct.

Or Does It?

Unless he’s not.  If the Kings, or any NBA team for that matter, determine a prospect is a franchise changing talent, they must close their eyes and pursue with all resources possible.

Per another accounting of the rumor, Philly.com’s Keith Pompey believes some NBA team is very high on Fox.  Very Very high.  Per Pompey:

"“an undisclosed NBA team had representatives in Fox’s hometown of Houston asking questions about him. The team wanted to get as much background on him before deciding whether to trade up to get him. Was that squad the Kings?”"

And Pompey rationalizes the rumor as logical.

Don’t Discount De’Aaron

De’Aaron Fox has turned plenty of heads so far in the weeks leading up to the 2017 NBA Draft. Chrstopher Kline talks at length about how some view him as the best point guard in this draft. Now that is to say that he does not see Fox as a Philly fit. But if the Kings need a true point guard, Fox may be lights out their top candidate.

So we know that the Kings show that they interested in De’Aaron Fox.  The only question remains is the likelihood of Philadelphia finding players at five and ten.  They will.  Definitely.

With Jackson looking more likely as the Los Angeles Lakers pick at two, the Philadelphia 76ers would be foolish not to trade back for two top ten picks.

Philly Plenty Of Options

The Philadelphia 76ers have plenty of options in this draft.   If the team receives an offer for the three pick, then some trade principals we had discussed go into effect:

What is the aggregate value of the picks offered?
Is anyone projected on the board at or greater than (in aggregate) the value of the pick traded away?

If the Philadelphia 76ers trade back, they could land both Malik Monk and a prospect who might fall to the team at ten. That could be Jonathan Isaac, Dennis Smith, O.G. Anunoby, or some other talented prospect.

Next: Frank Jackson is a great fit for the Sixers

Every NBA Draft is a game of chance. Despite the analysis, scouting reports, the winners in a draft succeed with more picks.  So if the option is one pick at three, or two picks at five and ten, I strongly advocate the five and ten route. It may not happen that way, but if it does I will be quite happy indeed.