Philadelphia 76ers should target point guard in 2020 NBA Draft

The Philadelphia 76ers should prioritize the point guard spot in the 2020 NBA Draft.

The debate over Ben Simmons‘ true NBA position has never really ended. Every now and then, fuel is added to the fire, whether it’s a masterful performance or a no-show on national T.V. Simmons’ skill set is unique and idiosyncratic enough to garner a constant stream of both criticism and support.

In the end, I don’t think his positional label matters much at all. Few really do. The NBA has evolved past five traditional positions, and trying to shoehorn Simmons’ agile-yet-powerful 6-foot-10 frame into archaic “point guard” or “power forward” categories is futile. He’s a basketball player, and an exceptionally versatile one.

So here I am to say the Philadelphia 76ers should focus on one of those archaic positional categories, because who doesn’t love a good contradiction on a calm, quarantined Wednesday afternoon. On a more serious note, the “point guard” label doesn’t perfectly apply to every so-called point guard in the 2020 NBA Draft. Even so, prospects of that general skill set — sharp, dynamic playmakers — should earn high marks in Philadelphia’s scouting department.

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The Sixers need to complement Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid with more quick-twitch ball-handlers. Players who can run the pick-and-roll, put pressure on the rim, and give Brett Brown a creative outlet in the halfcourt setting.

A number of early 2020 mock drafts have projected Alabama sophomore Kira Lewis Jr. to Philadelphia with the 22nd pick. Even our own. He’s a prime example of what the Sixers should target — a slippery, lightning-quick athlete who can abruptly change speeds, get into the teeth of the defense, and effectively create at all three levels.

Lewis would vastly improve the Sixers’ second unit. He’s not an elite shooter, but his first step and craftiness make for a dynamic playmaking threat on the drive. He can bolt inside on pick-and-rolls, using the screen to leverage his elite speed. He can also patiently probe the defense, using hesitations and crossovers to create space and keep his defender off balance.

If Lewis is available at No. 22, he should almost certainly top the Sixers’ draft board. We’re still far out from the actual draft — which, due to the coronavirus, may be pushed back from June — but at this stage, my confidence in Lewis is high. He’s tied to Philadelphia on multiple platforms for a reason. He makes a lot of sense.

This is a relatively dense rookie class at the “point guard” position, so even if Lewis is unavailable, there are bound to be viable alternatives. Theo Maledon and R.J. Hampton are prospects who could slip into the early 20s. Nico Mannion is a former five-star recruit hovering in the Sixers’ range. Tre Jones has NBA pedigree and an impressive two-year stint at Duke on his resume. And so on.

The Sixers should have a keen eye on playmakers in June (or whenever the draft is). A point guard does much more than put a decent backup behind Simmons. It also unlocks more off-ball opportunities for Simmons, who has shown great promise as a roller and as a cutter. Not to mention easier looks for Embiid, who could benefit massively from a pick-and-roll and dribble-handoff partner.

Stay tuned for our first 2020 NBA Draft Big Board in the near future.