Bryan Colangelo picked the right season to go all-in on a guard prospect
With a weak point guard class for the 2018 NBA Draft, Bryan Colangelo seemingly picked the right season to go all-in on a guard prospect for the Philadelphia 76ers.
The 2017 NBA Draft class was lauded as one of the deepest in recent memory, in large part due to the point guard crop. Markelle Fultz, Lonzo Ball, Dennis Smith Jr. and De’Aaron Fox were all, to some extent, worthy of consideration in the top five. Bryan Colangelo was able to not only gauge the strength of the class, but the individual talent at stake in a player like Fultz — and made the right choice, during the right year, to facilitate a blockbuster trade up for the Philadelphia 76ers.
Philadelphia 76ers
In general, Fultz’s talent is enough to justify the move. He’s the dynamic offensive threat the Sixers have lacked on the perimeter, while his fit within the rotation is irrefutable. He’s an elite isolation scorer, but has the shooting touch and feel needed to work off of Ben Simmons on the perimeter.
What makes the selection even more justifiable, though, is the timing. Not only was 2017 an inordinately strong class at point guard, but the 2018 NBA Draft presents a painstakingly weak talent pool at that position. Trevon Duval and Collin Sexton are the only two point guards worth cementing in the top 10 conversation, yet in a vacuum, neither is unequivocally deserving of such a ranking. They’ll likely end up going off the board sooner than their perceived rankings to a team in need of guard help, but neither presents a talent remotely comparable to Fultz.
Colangelo’s goal when he took over the Sixers was relatively simple in theory — expedite the rebuilding process. He wanted to add legitimate talent to a roster that was slim in that department, something that would lead to more games won and a more respectable presence among the league’s best teams. Joel Embiid‘s emergence and Ben Simmons’ injury, in many ways, offset those plans.
The Hinkie replacement struck an impressive balance between roster improvement and long term investments, something many feared he wouldn’t maintain. He added veterans like Gerald Henderson and Jerryd Bayless, but managed to do so on financially flexible terms.
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Philadelphia’s trade for the number one pick, however, was the culminating point for Colangelo’s measured attempts to revive the team. He sparingly offloaded assets for a potential corerstone that not only made the team better, but also fit their timeline. He essentially expedited the rebuild while extending their window of opportunity.
Attempting the pull off the same manuver next season wouldn’t yield those same results. They’d either end up with a subpar return or a prospect who doesn’t fit their rotational needs. They’d be wading into a class highlighted by bigs, and likely select somebody who doesn’t have a defined role in Brett Brown’s system as a result.
Next year’s draft class is fun — and lots of it. Mo Bamba has a 7-foot-9 wingspan, while Michael Porter Jr. combines size, skill and polish in what is sure to be a beautiful marriage of basketball talent. You also have the best international prospect in quite some time, if not ever, in Luka Doncic.
Next: Sixers' 2017-18 second unit, post-NBA Draft
But there’s not a Markelle Fultz. There isn’t a generational scorer with next-level vision and one of the highest ceilings of any point guard in the NBA. The Sixers got an elite talent and an elite fit. That’s just not something that would be available next season, and with the team trending towards competitive basketball, this offseason was the best time to make that decision.