Should the Sixers draft Lonnie Walker IV?

By Michael Bronson | Jun 20, 2018

DALLAS, TX - MARCH 15: Lonnie Walker IV #4 of the Miami (Fl) Hurricanes gets ready to shoot the ball over Clayton Custer #13 of the Loyola (Il) Ramblers during the first round of the 2018 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament held at the American Airlines Center on March 15, 2018 in Dallas, Texas. Loyola defeats Miami 64-62. (Photo by Andy Hancock/NCAA Photos via Getty Images) /

Should Lonnie Walker IV be the wing of choice for the Philadelphia 76ers at No. 10?

Watching University of Miami shooting guard Lonnie Walker IV play, I saw the perfect player to eventually replace J.J. Reddick in the Philadelphia 76ers’ starting lineup.

An extremely athletic freshman, at 6-foot-5, 196 pounds, with a 6-foot-10 wingspan (I’m using measurements from the 2018 NBA Draft Combine) and a jump shot that is much better than his 34.6 percent from behind the three-point line would suggest, Walker is a 19-year-old that doesn’t turn 20 until December 14.

Images of Klay Thompson and Devin Booker came to mind as Walker pulled up from well past the three-point line to drain the shot with a hand in his face, and I thought I was watching the most underrated player in the 2018 draft.

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While a player with more experience that could help the Sixers more in the 2018-19 season, Miles Bridges and Mikal Bridges would only make more sense if they can guarantee that LeBron James or Paul George is going to become the newest members of The Process. The Sixers should still draft the player with the most upside without 100 percent confidence they’ll be able to sign another star player.

The Sixers’ two best players Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are only 24 and 21 years old, so it shouldn’t be too big of an issue if the player the Sixers’ draft isn’t ready to join the starting lineup this season.

Averaging 11.5 points, 1.9 assists, 2.6 rebounds, 0.9 steals, 0.5 blocks, and 1.2 turnovers while playing 27. 8 minutes per game and making 41.5 percent of his shots overall, Walker’s stats pale in comparison to Miles Bridges and Mikal Bridges.

Miles Bridges averaged 17.1 points, 2.7 assists, 7 rebounds, 0.6 steals, 0.8 blocks, and 2.0 turnovers while playing 31.4 minutes per game and making 36.4 percent of his shot from behind the three-point line and 45.7 percent of his shots overall.

Mikal Bridges averaged 17.7 points, 1.9 assists, 5.3 rebounds, 1.5 steals, 1.1 blocks, and 1.4 turnovers while playing 32.1 minutes per game and making 43.5 percent of his shots from behind the three-point line and 51.4 percent over all.

But comparing Walkers stats to sophomore Miles Bridges and junior Mikal Bridges’ freshman seasons, puts Walker in a better light. Miles Bridges averaged 16.9 points, 2.1 assists, 8.3 rebounds, 0.7 steals, 1.5 blocks, and 2.4 turnovers while playing 32 minutes per game and making 36.4 percent of his shots from behind the three-point line and 48.6 percent of his shots overall during his freshman season.

Mikal Bridges averaged 8.4 points, 0.9 assists, and 3.2 rebounds while playing 20.3 minutes per game and making 29.9 percent of his shots from behind the three-point line during his freshman season. While Miles Bridges did have a better freshman season than Walker, Walker plays more like a shooting guard than Miles Bridges, who often plays like an undersized power forward.

Walker is very much a work in progress. While he has a great first step and is a decent finisher when driving to the basket, he doesn’t have good ball-handling skills and needs to improve his defense. But a version of Walkers that reaches his full potential, would be the perfect sidekick to Ben Simmons in a scenario where Fultz is a bust and the Sixers don’t get James.

He could handle the ball just enough to become the Sixers’ second ball-handler and is the only player that has a realistic chance of still being on board at pick 10 that could guard elite point guards that Simmons struggles with.

With Markelle Fultz being the biggest question mark on the Sixers’ roster and a heathy Boston Celtics’ team that will be better than a James or George-less Sixers team regardless of who they draft, it’s important that the Sixers draft a player that fits perfectly with Joel Embiid and Simmons but can realistically make at least one All-Star game during his career.

Next: 2018 NBA Draft Big Board 7.0

Walker has the best chance among the three players to do that.