Philadelphia 76ers NBA draft strategy dilemma

NEW YORK, NY - MAY 15: Markelle Fultz signs autographs at Champs Sports prior to the draft lottery on May 15, 2017 in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - MAY 15: Markelle Fultz signs autographs at Champs Sports prior to the draft lottery on May 15, 2017 in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and/or using this photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Steven Freeman/NBAE via Getty Images)
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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 16: Bryan Colangelo of the Philadelphia 76ers has a conversation during the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery at the New York Hilton in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 16: Bryan Colangelo of the Philadelphia 76ers has a conversation during the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery at the New York Hilton in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by David Dow/NBAE via Getty Images)

Package picks

Eleven players next year with little to no NBA experience. Two on the roster, three from the Euroleague, and six fresh off the draft. That won’t happen. So one way the Philadelphia 76ers front office can divert the number of incoming young players is to bundle picks to trade up in the NBA Draft.   Per Tankathon.com,. the Philadelphia 76ers have more than enough ammo to trade anywhere on the draft board with a reciprocal team. But while that is the first scenario, it need not be the only one.

The team could combine picks and players to swap for another team’s players. The Philadelphia 76ers packaged Jahlil Okafor, Nik Stauskas, and a 2nd round pick with the Brooklyn Nets for power forward Trevor Booker. Subsequently, Booker was cut to make room for free agent Ersan Ilyasova.  You can be the judge of who won that trade, but it’s an historic pattern by Colangelo and will likely be used again.

NBA partner needed

The team could also package picks to sell outright as they did in the 2017 NBA Draft. Two picks simply converted to cash consierations, and in that instant there was no further front office management needed whatsoever.   It comes down to whether the Philadelphia 76ers can find a trade partner willing to place the Sixers in a desired position in that draft.

Of course, the Toronto Raptors, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Miami Heat have no picks in the 2018 NBA Draft. Could either of those three teams be interested in landing a draft pick for the 2018 draft? If so, could they exchange a valuable package to the 76ers  for a pick or picks? We know Bryan Colangelo sought short-duration contracts from either free agent signings or players he traded for. So that is another option.