Believe it or not, the 2020-21 NBA Season is nearing the halfway point. As you read this, the Sixers sit in the top spot in the Eastern Conference.
So what does this mean?
For playoff seeding, a decent amount as the Sixers are over five games clear of the eighth seed and four games above Indiana in fourth. Who knows if Philadelphia will do what they have in years past and stumble across the finish line, but for now, a “home-court advantage” in round one seems likely.
While playoff seeding might change over time, it is a safe bet to make that the Sixers will be picking in the latter half of the first round of this year’s draft (assuming Daryl Morey does not make any moves before the deadline). Philly also has two picks in the second round (thank you, Knicks), but Houston can swap with the 76ers for the more favorable of their pick (if we even reach the point where this happens, there are much bigger problems for Philly).
If the season were to end today, the Sixers would be picking 27th. The NBA lottery is a well-understood and discussed topic, but fewer people know that picks 15-30 go in reverse order of regular-season standings.
This draft is MUCH different than last year’s. Going into 2020, there were no guaranteed stars, and while you can see now that Anthony Edwards, James Wiseman, and LaMelo Ball are all finding success, this outcome was certainly not expected. Last year, foreign players also made the draft challenging to project, but this year there are no standout international prospects.
2021 NBA Draft overview
Below are my top three prospects and some names to watch for the 2021 NBA Draft.
Cade Cunningham
I’m sure you have heard all about this kid. Seemingly every move he has made on and off the court has been put under the national spotlight. Starring at Oklahoma State, Cunningham is a strong, physical point guard who can score anywhere on the court. He contributes on the defensive end as well and can guard multiple positions. Yes, he has had poor shooting performances, and yes, his assists (3.5/game) and turnovers (4/game) are not quite where you would like to see them but the team around him has a lot to do with that. Though you won’t see him in the tournament due to a post-season ban for the Cowboys, Cunningham will be the first pick and a mainstay in NBA All-Star voting for years to come.
Evan Mobley
Mobley stands out on the court for a multitude of reasons. First and foremost, he is a seven-footer averaging nearly twenty points and ten rebounds a game while racking up 3.3 blocks with his massive 7-foot-5 wingspan. Secondly, his shorts are really, really short. But the USC big man has star potential. He is the quintessential modern NBA big with an Einstein-like basketball IQ and a great touch. He stands out the most because of his ball-handling skills and the ability to attack the rim with either hand. On top of that, he is an incredibly gifted passer and can run the offense. While he needs some fine-tuning and should add some bulk, Mobley has the chance to be a generational talent.
Jalen Suggs
Above all else, Jalen Suggs is an elite athlete. Couple that with his defensive prowess and shooting abilities, and you have a star in the making. Suggs is leading the Gonzaga Bulldogs, who will almost certainly be in the Final Four this year. His limitless range provides him with opportunities to drive the ball and find open teammates. He does turn the ball over a bit more than you would like to see (2.7/game), especially with the team he has around him, but his IQ and calming presence on the court will make an immediate impact on whatever team is lucky enough to snag him. As with Cunningham and Mobley, Suggs has All-Star potential.
NBA Draft players to watch
Jonathan Kuminga and Jalen Green are both tearing up the G-League right now. Adept at finishing at the rim, Kuminga and Green both have All-Star potential but need to hone their skills. So far, Kuminga is proving to be the better of the two. Jalen Johnson has all the potential but reminds me of Cam Reddish. Not in his game where Johnson stuffs the stat-sheet but in his motor. Reddish, too was highly touted coming out of high school and failed to meet expectations at Duke. Johnson has the tools, but the drive might not be there. Kai Jones and Greg Brown are both incredibly talented Freshmen leading a solid Texas squad. Both suffer from consistency issues, but the potential is there. Jones is a reliable scorer, and Brown is a sensational athlete.
NBA Draft potential second-round prospects
Iowa’s Luka Garza might win the Wooden Award this year. However, he isn’t a great NBA prospect because we don’t live in the 1960s. There is still something to be said though about a guy who dominates against the best competition every night. Yves Pons has the tools to be a solid NBA defender but needs to develop his offensive game. A senior at Tennessee, Pons is just starting to put it together. Aaron Henry is a great defender and athlete but cannot shoot. Should he develop a shot, Henry has a role-player spot waiting for him in the NBA.
Sixers NBA Draft preview
Before listing names the Sixers should consider in the draft, let’s first examine their current roster makeup and what next season might look like.
Sixers starting lineup
PG: Ben Simmons — signed through 2025, an All-NBA defensive player this year (save the Simmons trade debate for later, as of now, he is the Sixers point guard and a good one too)
SG: Seth Curry — signed through 2023, not much else to say about Seth other than he leads the NBA in 3’s per game.
SF: Danny Green — contract expires after this season, this will be an exciting debate in the offseason and, more likely than not, will come down to Green’s playoff performance.
PF: Tobias Harris — signed through 2024, an All-Star having a career year.
C: Joel Embiid — signed through 2023, possibly the league MVP.
Sixers bench
Shake Milton — signed through 2023, potential sixth-man of the year.
Matisse Thybulle — signed through 2023, great defender but still struggles offensively.
Furkan Korkmaz — contract expires after this season, probably won’t be back in Philly next year but for now a streaky shooter.
Dwight Howard — contract expires after this season, maybe the best backup Joel has had? Almost a guaranteed four fouls a game but a good locker room presence and rebounder.
Mike Scott — contract expires after this season, doubtful to return with his rare playing time.
Terrance Ferguson — contract expires after this season, almost assuredly out the door.
Tony Bradley — contract expires after this season, in all likelihood, will not return, not a solution to being a backup for Joel.
Tyrese Maxey — signed through 2024, an exciting young guard who is close to putting it all together in a big way.
Isaiah Joe — signed through 2023, a pure shooter who we all wish saw more playing time.
Looking at this list, a few things stand out. Perhaps most prominent is the Sixers are at risk of losing a lot of size this offseason, something unthinkable just last year. Secondly, 2023 is going to be a big offseason. The latter is a conversation for another time, but the former can be addressed now.
The 2021 Draft has a decent amount of big men projected to go early in the first round. While it is not out of the woods to think Morey might make a move, where they sit currently, Philadelphia could land a decent player.
Assuming no drastic changes, the Sixers should use their first-round pick to find a long-term solution for backing up Joel Embiid. If they do resign Dwight Howard, this becomes less of a priority, but it would be nice to watch the Sixers play Thybulle with the backups and not cringe at the offensive ineptitude the unit can have.
Bigs Sixers should consider in NBA Draft
Day’Ron Sharpe is a 6-foot-11 load from North Carolina. He grabs seemingly every rebound and picks the pocket of countless offensive players. Sharpe does not shoot well from outside but can bang in the paint and score with ease. There is a chance that Sharpe returns to Chapel Hill for another year, however.
I’ve already discussed Kai Jones and his potential downside. But he is an excellent offensive big who needs to improve on the defensive end where, luckily, the Sixers excel and can cover up Jones’s potential flaws.
Jones’ teammate Greg Brown should also be on the Sixers’ radar, and his unmatched athleticism would allow the second unit to fly up and down the court. Pairing Shake and Brown together in a pick-and-roll with guys like Joe and Maxey on the perimeter would be a scary sight for other teams.
Next week I’ll preview some guards the Sixers should keep an eye on as March Madness nears.