Tier 4
Jontay Porter, Nicolas Claxton, Mfiondu Kabengele, Daniel Gafford, Yovel Zoosman, Louis King, KZ Okpala
The Sixers should pretty much ignore these names at 24. For Porter and Claxton — who fall inside my top 30 — there’s much more value in the second round, where Porter is bound to be available. For Kabengele and Gafford — who fall outside my top 30 — there’s no need to reach on a center at 24.
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All four bigs have appealing traits. Porter held a top-15 spot on my board before his second ACL tear. Now there are concerns about whether he’s ever on the court, not to mention his on-court problems. It’s fair to bet on talent, but the Sixers aren’t the right team for that at 24. Again, 33/34 or 42 is a much stronger proposition.
Claxton can handle on the perimeter, run the fastbreak and has inklings of potential as a shooter. If his game pans out, the versatility to invert pick-and-rolls on offense and guard the perimeter on defense fits the modern NBA well. It’s just not the spot for Philadelphia to take on a young, not-quite-ready center.
Yovel Zoosman is an interesting prospect. He’s 21 and contributing for a high-level European team in Maccabi Tel Aviv, which is a major positive. His skills on the wing, namely shooting and passing, are also key attributes. He fits the Sixers’ needs quite well.
The problem is two-fold. He’s a potential draft-and-stash candidate, which essentially equates to a project. The Sixers need immediate contributors, not someone who’s off-grid until 2020. He’s also bound to be available in the second round, potentially as late as 54 according to ESPN’s latest mock.
Louis King falls in a similar category, though he’s not a draft-and-stash candidate. There’s a good chance King is on the board when the Sixers pick in the second round. That’s the theme here — don’t reach when that prospect should be available later on. And don’t draft a center.
The only exception is KZ Okpala, who’s projected somewhere in the 20s on most mocks. He just needs more time and doesn’t present much intrigue in the short-term. He’s an athletic 6-foot-9 forward who has impressive flashes on defense, but he’s an inconsistent shooter, an uneven ball-handler and a poor decision-maker.
Philadelphia should steer clear of Okpala despite the hype in some circles.
For my full draft board, read our 2019 NBA Draft Guide — which also includes Jack Duffy’s board, an updated mock draft and oodles of draft content. Happy NBA Draft Day!