The Philadelphia 76ers’ 26th pick in the draft should not be forgotten about and shooting still needs to be the priority as the first round closes out.
The 26th pick is an important one and it should be valued accordingly. In the past years the Philadelphia 76ers have used picks like this to get “draft and stash” guys and other project players. However, unless TLC and Furkan Korkmaz can make monumental leaps next year, the Sixers haven’t gotten much out of these late first rounders.
Most picks in this range don’t necessarily make it big. Although many times you will see key role players uncovered with these picks. So with the 26th pick this year something needs to change. While keeping shooting in mind, I think I know a guy that could fit perfectly in the system.
He has loads of experience, so he can come in and contribute right away. He has a great jump shot, and he is a great competitor. This all sounds like a slam dunk, no brainer pick for a guy that will be available at 26. But, there is a small problem. Everyone hates him.
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With the 26th pick in the NBA draft the Philadelphia 76ers (should) select… Grayson Allen.
The Case for Grayson Allen
Don’t all scream at once. Take out a couple tripping incidents and emotional breakdowns and this guy is a lottery pick. Talent wise, its all there for Grayson Allen and whats great is its all there right now. Just think of how amazing it would be for a Sixers first round pick to come on to the team and produce immediately.
Yeah he probably doesn’t have the highest ceiling and yeah he’s one of the oldest guys in the draft, but youth and development shouldn’t be the focus points at this point. The Sixers have their developing young guys in Anzejs Pasecniks, Jonah Bolden, Mathias Lessort, and Furkan Korkmaz. They really don’t need to add another name to that list.
Allen has proven that he is a competitor and that he loves the game, almost too much. His shooting numbers in college have always been great with him shooting 38 percent from three over his entire college career. Plus, he showed a lot of growth in his maturity last season. He was the leader of the otherwise pretty young Duke team.
Fit with the Sixers
His numbers weren’t the best of his career but that was just because he wasn’t the number one option on offense every time. Allen showcased how he could defer to others yet still be productive this year.
Honestly, his role at Duke during his senior year would be very similar to his role with the Sixers. Instead of feeding Marvin Bagley in the post, he would be feeding Joel Embiid or Richaun Holmes. Instead of getting catch and shoot opportunities off Trevon Duval passes, they would be coming off feeds from Ben Simmons or T.J. McConnell.
Next: WANTED - Someone with a jump shot, Part 1
If the Sixers take Allen at 26 it wouldn’t be a reach. Also it would display to the world even more that the this Sixers team is now focusing on winning. The process era is over and its time to start a new one in Philly. And surprisingly enough, drafting a guy like Grayson Allen could be a sign of this of this mindset shift.