The Philadelphia 76ers have a plethora of second round picks in this summer’s NBA draft and they shouldn’t use all of them.
The Philadelphia 76ers are currently tied with the Atlanta Hawks with having the most draft picks in the upcoming 2019 NBA Draft. Each team has five picks in this draft, with the Sixers having one pick in the first round and four in the second. Philly doesn’t need five rookies on the roster going into the 2019-20 season. The 76ers should strategically use these second round picks to acquire another first round pick.
Currently, the Sixers own the 33rd, 34th, 44th and 54th picks in the second round. Now Philly could just trade one or two of the picks for a future second round pick(s), however they have plenty of future second round picks already. What the 76ers don’t have is a lot of first round picks.
More from Draft
- Philadelphia 76ers Ten Biggest Mistakes of the Last Ten Years
- The Sixers sign four undrafted players after the NBA Draft
- Players the Sixers should target in undrafted free agency
- How to Watch the 2023 NBA Draft as a Sixers Fan
- 2023 NBA Mock Draft: 5 wing prospects 76ers could target
One option could be that the Sixers use two of their first round picks to trade into the late first round. They already have the 24th pick in the first round, but adding a quality player at the end of that round would go a long way in building the team’s bench for next year. Adding another first round pick would allow the 76ers to have long term control of the player that they pick versus less time with a second round pick.
While there’s several teams that could be trade partners, one franchise comes to mind as a really good partner. The San Antonio Spurs are an ideal trade partner for the Sixers. The Spurs have a past of doing well with second round picks and they have two first round picks this year, thanks to the Kawhi Leonard and DeMar DeRozan trade. Below is what a potential trade would look like between the two clubs.
In trading two of their second round picks, the Sixers can gain the Spurs 29th pick via the Toronto Raptors. This would be a win for the 76ers, because they would still hold onto the 34th and 44th pick. The Spurs only move back from 29th to 33rd in the draft order and still add a late second round pick. It’s a deal that would benefit both sides.
In the event that Philly can’t find a trade partner to trade into the first round this year, they could always us any combination of second round picks to trade into the first round of a future draft. While it wouldn’t help this year in building the bench, it would help in adding first round talent for the future.
Whether it be in this draft or a future one, the Philadelphia 76ers should look to package a couple of the second round picks to acquire a first round pick.