Pump the Brakes on Draft Speculation

By Sean Kennedy (@PhillyFastBreak)

We’re still weeks away from the NBA draft, which means aside from wondering if LeBron can really finish the Finals with a higher ppg average than field goal percentage, the main food for the masses is wild speculation about who might land where when June 25th rolls around. In particular, the Sixers have been all over the map about who will be the next guy to help This. Start. Now.

Yesterday alone, we saw sources indicate the team had interest in Emmanuel Mudiay…

Sixers “Intrigued” About Selecting Emmanuel Mudiay With Third Overall Pick http://t.co/vctABYxkHJ pic.twitter.com/KZ0d8nTNit

— Liberty Ballers (@Liberty_Ballers) June 10, 2015

//platform.twitter.com/widgets.jsand the latest released mock draft on DraftExpress showing the Sixers taking Kristaps Porzingis.

Of course, there’s also always the apple of many a Sixers’ fan eye, D’Angelo Russell, the possibility that the team trades back for Mario Hezonja or Justise Winslow, or that they just go best player available, regardless of fit, and end up with Jahlil Okafor if he falls.

The point is, no one, probably even including Sam Hinkie himself, knows what the Sixers are going to end up doing a couple weeks from now. I get it. People love the sport, there’s a lot of down time at work or at home, and speculation is just plain fun. Still, remember that very few people had Joel Embiid ending up as a Sixer last year, and not a single soul predicted Jrue Holiday being traded and the team ending up with Nerlens Noel the year prior. If you think you know, or someone else knows, what’s going to happen, chances are, as Notorious B.I.G. cautioned, you’re dead wrong.

Just recognize all the noise for what it is, don’t get too caught up in the en vogue rumor of the day, and embrace the chaos and uncertainty when draft night finally does roll around. Basically, listen to the sage advice of one of Philly’s most successful native sons.

“All this excess stress I can’t take it

Slow that thing down, pump ya brakes kid” – Will Smith

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LMSyw8Pq4xs]