Sixers: 3 players team can replace in 2021 NBA Draft

The Philadelphia 76ers own the 28th and 50th picks in the 2021 NBA Draft. While the odds of getting the next All-Star are slim, it’s still possible for the Sixers to grab an immediate contributor — especially in the first round. This is a relatively deep class, with plenty of talent at positions of need.

Most mock drafts have the Sixers selecting another point guard. With Ben Simmons’ future in doubt, and the lack of playmaking juice still a problem in the second (and even first) unit, it’s not an illogical projection. Even so, there are other paths Philadelphia can follow, and players Daryl Morey can aim to replace in one way or another.

Here are three rotation pieces Philadelphia can hope to replace via the NBA Draft.

3 players the Sixers can replace in 2021 NBA Draft: Mike Scott

But, Mike Scott wasn’t a rotation piece! If only that were true. Last season, Scott appeared in a healthy 51 games for Philadelphia, in which he averaged 16.7 minutes a night. He was a veteran Doc Rivers trusted, almost always to a fault.

Production was hard to come by for Scott, who hit a mediocre 34.2 percent of his 3s and never did much else. He struggled on defense, where his trademark toughness fell flat, and he was too limited offensively to contribute when his shots weren’t falling.

That said, the idea of Scott — a physical 6-foot-8 forward who takes a bunch of 3s — is easy to fall in love with, and that kind of player would benefit the Sixers if actualized. Perhaps in the NBA Draft, where names like Trey Murphy, Jeremiah Robinson-Earl, and JT Thor enter the conversation at 28.