Philadelphia 76ers 2020 NBA Draft profile: Desmond Bane

Fit with the Sixers

The Sixers need — you guessed it! — shooters. Bane is a shooter through and through, so it shouldn’t be difficult for him to capture the imagination of the Sixers fanbase. The front office should have him earmarked as a potential second-round target as we speak (or read, or write).

Brett Brown is at his best when there are shooters on the floor. Bane can work DHOs, bolt around screens, and run some of the sets J.J. Redick and Marco Belinelli once popularized. He’s not the same quick-trigger shooter, but he occupies a similar role on paper and is accustomed to a movement-heavy style of play.

He also adds another pick-and-roll ball-handler to the mix, which the Sixers should lean on more often. While he doesn’t readily address the Sixers’ need for a quick-twitch scorer on the perimeter, Bane’s contributions as a shooter and ball-mover are enough to earn a roster spot.

He also fits Brown’s desire for size and defense on the perimeter. I’ve been over Bane’s limitations at length, but he brings an element of strength and toughness the Sixers are sure to appreciate. He would fit just fine next to a slew of versatile defenders in Ben Simmons, Matisse Thybulle, and others.

In the simplest terms, Bane is a dynamite shooter and a smart all-around player. He does the little things well, and he immediately addresses some — if not all — of the Sixers’ biggest needs in the second unit. He’s one to watch.