With the 2021 NBA Draft coming quickly, it seems appropriate to evaluate prospects at each position. Starting with the point guard position is only natural and there’s some level of uncertainty with that position with the Philadelphia 76ers.
Ben Simmons is rumored to be in trade talks and while Tyrese Maxey has a lot of potential, adding another talented point guard into the mix could do the franchise some good. With that in mind, there are five point guards that should be on the Sixers’ radar.
5 point guards to watch in 2021 NBA Draft: Jared Butler
In terms of prospects, Jared Butler is probably the best one on this list. That also means it’s unlikely that he will be available when the 76ers are up to pick with the 28th pick in the first round. According to Christopher Kline’s second mock draft for this upcoming draft on The Sixer Sense website, he has Butler being drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers with the 22nd pick. Tankathon also has the Baylor point guard going 20th to the Atlanta Hawks.
That being written, he’s still a player to watch because there are some health conditions that could have him drop, if not be straight up disqualified to play in the NBA. Assuming he can still play, he’d be a great fit with Philly.
He won an NCAA title with Baylor this past season and is entering the draft at the age of 21 years old. He’s not like some of these other players who don’t have experience or who aren’t ready to jump into an NBA rotation.
He’s a solid three level scorer, who can defend at a high level. In his last season in college, he averaged 16.7 points, 4.8 assists, 2.0 steals, and 2.8 turnovers, while making 47.1 percent of his field goals and 41.6 percent from deep.
He’s probably one of the more NBA ready point guards in the draft and if his health checks out, it’s not likely he drops to the Sixers. However, he should be on the 76ers radar just in case teams are scared by his health concerns.
5 point guards to watch in 2021 NBA Draft: Jason Preston
Like Butler, Jason Preston just finished his third year of college, but unlike the Baylor point guard, Preston didn’t play a power five conference school. That doesn’t mean that the Ohio point guard shouldn’t be on the Philadelphia 76ers’ radar entering the draft.
While Kline didn’t have Preston in his first round mock draft, Tankathon had the 6-foot-4 playmaker being selected by 31st by the Milwaukee Bucks. Despite being 21 years old, Preston isn’t NBA ready as he’s only 187 pounds. He will need to bulk up before taking on any rotation role.
Despite his slim frame, he dominated his last two seasons in college. This past year, he averaged 15.7 points, 7.3 rebounds, 7.3 assists, 1.5 steals, and 3.0 turnovers. His shooting percentages were impressive as well as he converted 51.4 percent of his field goals and 39.0 percent of 3-pointers.
The only red flag in his game outside of his weight and turnovers is his free throw percentage which was 59.6 percent this past year. However, in his two previous seasons it was above 70.0 percent so this could have been just an outlier.
Preston has potential, but it’s hard to say what his upside will be on the NBA level with him being an older player and still having some holes in his game. The Sixers might want to wait to see if he will drop to them with the 50th pick.
5 point guards to watch in 2021 NBA Draft: Tre Mann
Tre Mann is a score first point guard coming out of Florida. At 6-foot-5, Mann has height at the point guard position which should give him an advantage on offense. In terms of scoring the ball, Mann fills a big need that the Philadelphia 76ers desperately have.
The Florida product is a three level scorer but lacks in most other areas outside of rebounding. This past season, he averaged 16.0 points, 5.6 rebounds, 3.5 assists, 1.4 steals, and 2.8 turnovers. He he’s not a good decision maker when put into a playmaking role, but for the Sixers who still have Simmons at the moment, they could live with a player like Mann.
He’d probably be a bench player for the 76ers next year if drafted by the team, if not in the rotation based on moves made by the front office. He could develop into a legit sixth man, but at this point, it seems unlikely that he will become a perennial starter in the NBA as he’s not a great defender, he’s not a strong athlete, and his playmaking has much to be desired.
It should be noted that Kline had him going 25th to the Los Angeles Clippers and Tankathon had his drafted by the 30th by the Utah Jazz. While he’s listed as a point guard, Mann will more than likely be a combo guard on the NBA level.
5 point guards to watch in 2021 NBA Draft: Miles McBride
Despite being 6-foot-2, it could be argued that Mile (Deuce) McBride is the most NBA-ready defender on this list. He was coached by West Virginia legend Bob Huggins who is known to produce elite NBA-level defenders, like current Phoenix Suns backup point guard Jevon Carter.
He’s a long defender who is also a solid three level scorer. Last year, the sophomore averaged 15.9 points, 3.9 rebounds, 4.8 assists, 1.9 steals, and 1.8 turnovers, while making 43.1 percent of his shots from the floor and 41.4 percent of his shots from downtown. Out of all the point guards on this list, McBride has the best turnover averages, which shows he’s good at making the right decision.
McBride can run an offense, but can also play off the ball when the need arises. With Simmons still in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform, that need will be more often than not. If nothing else, McBride can be a solid backup this next season with the opportunity to develop into a starter.
Kline had McBride going 30th to the Utah Jazz and Tankathon had him being selected by the New Orleans Pelicans with the 43rd pick. McBride appears to have value as a late first or early second round pick. If the Sixers reach on McBride with their first round pick, they may end up getting a steal in the long haul.
5 point guards to watch in 2021 NBA Draft: Ayo Dosunmu
While Ayo Dosunmu wasn’t in Kline’s second mock draft, Kline did have the Illinois point guard being selected by the Sixers in his first mock draft. Outside of a national title, Dosunma has the most accolades of the point guards on this list, which includes an All-American selection.
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At 6-foot-5, he can play both guard positions and is a three level scorer, who’s solid defensively. During his junior season, the 21-year-old averaged 20.1 points, 6.3 rebounds, 5.3 assists, 1.1 steals, and 3.3 turnovers. He also shot a solid 48.8 percent from the field and 39.0 percent from deep.
Honestly, he was skilled enough to be drafted as a freshman but returned for his sophomore in which he struggled shooting, and then had a huge season as a junior. He’s a great athlete who can create for himself and others which is what the 76ers need on the perimeter.
He’s a plug-and-play prospect with his level of experience in the college ranks, which should make him an enticing player for Philly. It should be noted that Tankathon has him being selected by the Houston Rockets with the 24th pick. There’s a chance he could be around for the Sixers when they select in the first round which should make the franchise excited.
If any of these point guards are available to the Philadelphia 76ers when the pick, then they should certainly considering these playmakers. In a draft deep with primary ball handlers, the Sixers should go with the best available talent, which will probably be at the point guard position.