According to one report, the Philadelphia 76ers’ scouts are already zeroing in on a pair of upperclassmen.
The Philadelphia 76ers‘ first-round pick will fall somewhere in the 20s, which leaves the scouting department with a unique challenge. In such an uninspiring draft class, finding another cost-effective asset who can produce will prove difficult.
Last season, the Sixers excelled on draft night, turning the 10th pick into an unprotected future first and Zhaire Smith before selecting Landry Shamet 26th. Even the second round yielded Shake Milton, who’s showing considerable promise.
Smith hasn’t done much yet, but that’s injury-related. Shamet was a key contributor before being traded to Los Angeles in the Tobias Harris trade. Expect Milton to get a real chance at minutes next season, before his two-way contract expires.
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The Sixers won’t have a lottery pick to work with, but it’s still important to nail the later picks. Adding another legitimate contributor to fill Shamet’s void would bolster a questionable second unit. They also have several second-round picks, which could feasibly be packaged together to move back into the first round.
Over the summer, there were considerable upgrades made to the front office. Rather than rolling with Bryan Colangelo or the collective, the Sixers will have a firm lead decision-maker in Elton Brand. They also upgraded the scouting department, adding names like Sean Derenthal, who formally wrote for The Stepien.
There’s much more (warranted) optimism regarding this front office’s prospect evaluation skills. Even with a thinner draft class, there will be quality prospects available late in the first round. According to ESPN’s Mike Schultz and Brian Windhorst, the Sixers already have two names in mind.
On The Hoop Collective Podcast, Cameron Johnson and Matisse Thybulle were mentioned as potential Sixers targets. While both hover in the second round on most draft boards, the same could be said for Landry Shamet last summer. With the draft, players constantly rise and fall.
Both fit well on paper, for different reasons. Johnson, the 23-year-old senior from North Carolina, makes up for his advanced age with an NBA-ready skill set — one that fits the Sixers quite well. At 6-foot-9, he’s shooting 46.5 percent on 5.7 three-point attempts per game.
With the size to defend multiple positions and the shooting prowess to thrive in Brett Brown‘s motion offense, Johnson could fit the Shamet mold. He’s a less-heralded sharpshooter who fills an increasingly valuable niche in the NBA.
As for Thybulle, his intrigue is rooted in defense. The best defender in the Pac-12 for two years running, Thybulle wreaks havoc on that end, averaging 3.4 steals and 2.2 blocks in 30.9 minutes per game.
His offense has dipped as a senior, but Thybulle is a career 36 percent three-point shooter over four seasons, so there’s reason for optimism in that regard. Expectations for his offense are relatively low, though, which wasn’t the case last time Philadelphia drafted a Washington product.
Listed at 6-foot-6, Thybulle fits the modern NBA as a multi-positional defender who can thrive in smaller lineups. His rim protection numbers won’t hold at the next level, but he can impact games with his length, instincts and aggression. He would add a welcomed defensive edge to the second unit.
ESPN’s latest mock draft currently has Thybulle going 26th to the Sixers.
Both he and Johnson are names to keep an eye on. Both happen to be in the NCAA Tournament.