The Sixers add a former top-10 recruit and fill a hole at the point guard spot. Nico Mannion obviously won’t start — Ben Simmons is the “point guard” of the future — but the Sixers need someone to come off the bench, initiate halfcourt sets, and potentially add variety to the offense. Mannion is a viable option.
There are significant concerns about Mannion’s ability to hold up athletically at the next level, but skill-wise he’s got more than enough to work with. He’s a good 3-point shooter, a crafty finisher, and one of the smartest passers on the board. Mannion can certainly play next to Simmons as a secondary creator who spaces the floor, runs DHOs, and moves the ball.
Mannion isn’t short on defensive effort, but at 6-foot-3, he’s frankly not a good athlete by NBA standards. His short wingspan — also 6-foot-3 — doesn’t help. Those athletic concerns permeate to the offensive side of the floor, as many question whether he has the burst to consistently get dribble penetration against NBA defenses. He struggles to finish over length as well.