To cut to the chase, the Philadelphia 76ers should have just drafted Maxime Raynaud. Now, their decision to take Johni Broome seven spots above him has become borderline unacceptable. Instead, they are stuck with a prospect whose skill set does not even look seamless within the team’s dynamic while the player they passed up on is well on his way to snagging an All-Rookie Team spot.
Right from the get-go, the decision to select Broome with the 35th overall pick was quite a questionable choice. While the 76ers were indeed in dire need of someone who can shore up their depth at the big man position, the Auburn star was not exactly of the ilk they should have been looking for.
Broome spent most of his rookie campaign with the Delaware Blue Coats, playing just 55 minutes for the 76ers for the entire regular season. Unfortunately for him, an injury requiring surgery prematurely cut off his stint in the G-League, so he is essentially idle right now. Even worse, there is no real pathway for him to sniff the court even next season.
The 76ers made a huge mistake not drafting Maxime Raynaud
It is always easy to point out mistakes in hindsight, but for the 76ers, passing up on Raynaud was a mistake they could have easily avoided. After all, the Stanford alum has widely reckoned as the best player available after the first round had passed, yet Philly — needing another big body to bolster their cushion behind Joel Embiid — opted for someone with a clearly lower ceiling in Broome.
For the season, Raynaud has been averaging 12 points and 7.3 rebounds in 26.1 minutes a night, emerging as one of the very few bright spots for an unwatchable Kings squad that has one of the worst records in the league. The Frenchman has far exceeded expectations and has at least given Sacramento something to watch out for in the coming years.
On the flip side, Broome will go on a trek just to be in the active loop next season for the 76ers. Right now, Philly has a lot of big men atop him on the pecking order, and his dangling skill set makes it more difficult to incorporate him in lineup considerations.
Had the 76ers drafted Raynaud, the choice would have been clear as to who should permanently man the center position off the bench and start whenever Embiid is sidelined. Instead, they are stuck with Broome, who has a lot more question marks on his head than affirmative exclamations at this juncture.