With the NBA Draft so close, fellow CPC writer Sam Shipley and I have decided to answer some relevant questions about the draft and the Sixers. Let’s get started.
Better career, Ben Simmons or Brandon Ingram?
CL: I am going to go with Simmons here. Simply put, I just think he is the better. His passing ability and athleticism are just sublime. The shot is concerning, but I think could still be a great player without. I think the Sixers have a franchise cornerstone in Simmons. In terms of Ingram’s career, I really like him but I’m not sure he can reach a superstar level. He’s very skilled but his athleticism is a major drawback. He’s just not an explosive enough athlete to be an elite player. I think he probably tops out as an all-star level player but one who is best suited as the second or third option on a championship level team. That’s not a bad thing, I just don’t think it’s as good as Simmons.
SS: Ingram is flat out gifted on the offensive side of the ball. He can shoot, create his own shot, and get to the basket already in his young basketball career. He brings good length, and will develop size over his career. He is a solid rebounder, and I expect him to get better once he reaches the NBA level.
Simmons, on the other hand, is a different player then Ingram. More of a point-forward, Simmons is more of a 6-10 point guard. His ability to facilitate and get to the basket, and control the fast break at his size is second to none in this draft. He is a good rebounder, and offers great size. The knocks on Simmons are his shot and his motor. The shot I believe is not broken and can be worked on. Will Simmons ever be a elite shooter? Probably not, but I believe he can make his shot good enough to be respectable.
Better Pro: Ben Simmons
Which projected top 10 player has the higher bust potential?
CL: I think there are few answers here. I am not particularly in love with the “consensus” top 10. I’m sure some will say Bender but I think that’s mostly a product of him being an individual player. His combination of size, athleticism and skill makes him a pretty sure bet for me. I think both Jamal Murray and Buddy Hield could become role players but certainly won’t live up to the expectations of being star level players. I’m not sure I have confidence in either being starters. Still, I think they can both carve out a role in the NBA not matter what. I’ll pick Marquese Chriss. He is very much the boom or bust prospect of this draft. I think he can be star player but I also worry about him. He’s athletic but not particularly smart as a basketball player. He’s a very poor passer with bad instincts and no defensive ability despite his tools. I have him ranked in the top 10 because of that upside but I would not be surprised in the least if he didn’t make it as a player in this league.
SS: Dragan Bender.
Bender scares me being a top-10 pick for a few reasons. First, Bender doesn’t have one elite skill in his game. He is more of a solid all-around versatile player, but not being able to be elite in one category is troublesome to me. Second, Bender doesn’t have great size. Sure he is a 7 footer, but he weighs just 225 lbs. While the NBA isn’t the same as it was even a decade ago as far as having big men be physical down low and have battles in the paint, I would want my 7 footer to be stronger then Bender.
Lastly, because of Bender’s lack of strength and European style basketball, he tends to shoot more 3’s then 2’s. The problem there lies in Bender’s ability to make the 3 pointer. Bender shot 33.8 from deep last season, which is a below average number, and that number becomes even more of a negative due to Bender’s shot selection. While Bender could end up being a good pro, I fear that this top 10 pick could end up being an average role player or worse.
http://gty.im/476514928
Who is this year’s sleeper who could blossom into a good NBA player?
CL: I like quite a few sleepers in this year’s draft. Patrick McCaw and Robert Carter are two guys being talked about as second round picks but I think they are both top 15 players in this draft. McCaw is a long two guard with ball skills, an improving shot and a ton of defensive versatility. Carter is a guy with good tools and some real skills. He would succeed as a four or even a small ball five in the NBA. I think both of these guys could be top of the line bench pieces or maybe even starters. In terms of deeper sleeps, I like Sheldon McClellan and Daniel Hamilton. They are both wing players with good enough tools and some skills. Neither guy has a huge ceiling but both could become solid bench role players. That would be good value for two guys who might go undrafted.
SS: My sleeper for later in the first round is Point Guard Tyler Ulis. In his sophomore year at Kentucky, Ulis really stepped up as the teams starting point guard in a big way. In 35 games this season, Ulis averaged 17.3 ppg, 7 apg, and just 2 turnovers per game. He shot over 48% from the field, and over 34% from three point range. The biggest knock on Ulis is his size. Standing at 5’10” and weighing 149 lbs, Ulis is a undersized point guard who will likely struggle against more physical guards in the NBA. His small frame will prevent him from putting on a ton of weight, but he will certainly get bigger once in the NBA.
Later in the first round I think Ulis could make an intriguing selection for a team looking for point guard depth who is looking to take a chance on a player who has the skill set to make plays at the NBA level. The Sixers with two selections at 24 and 26 would potentially be a ideal spot considering their lack of point guard depth on the roster.
Should the Sixers trade one of their big men on draft night?
CL: The answer here is a resounding yes. The team cannot go into next season with Embiid, Okafor, Simmons, Noel and Saric. There just won’t be enough minutes for those guys. That’s not even mentioning Jerami Grant, Rob Covington and Richaun Holmes, three player who should see some minutes in the frontcourt. The Sixers need to trade one of Nerlens Noel or Jahlil Okafor. I would strongly prefer them to trade Okafor because of his defensive limitations and lack of fit with Ben Simmons but the market for both seems uncertain. Number 3 overall for Okafor makes some sense but Boston seems reluctant to make that offer and I would too. So if Boston is off the table, what kind of deal could the Sixers make? Maybe try to unload Okafor off on the Pelicans or the Lakers but those probably both seem unlikely. I think the Sixers will trade Okafor, I just have no idea where. It could be to one of those teams or it could be a team we don’t expect. All I know is that the Sixers need to move one of Noel or Okafor on draft night.
SS: I am not in the group of people who believe the Sixers should trade a big man tomorrow night, but that does not mean that I am opposed to it. I wouldn’t trade Okafor or Noel just for the sake of moving a big man, which is likely to happen at some point. Trading Okafor for a top five pick certainly peaks my interest, and moving Noel and 24 and/or 26 to get back into the top 10 would also intrigue me.
Would I trade Okafor to the Celtics? No. And from multiple reports it sounds like that isn’t going to happen. However, I would move Okafor to a team like Phoenix for the 4th pick and potentially land Kris Dunn, who the Sixers are reportedly in love with.
I personally do not want to trade any of the big men just yet for a couple of reasons. First, as much as I can’t wait to see Joel Embiid get on the floor, his health is still a big question mark. Second, I want to give this roster a chance to play itself out. I want to see how Okafor looks with Embiid and the same with Noel. Trading one of those two before having the chance to pair them next to a potential franchise player is a little premature at this point in the process.
The Sixers are far from being contenders, so rushing to trade good young assets just to move them in the present may not be the smartest move. Holding onto the big men for a little longer could enhance trade opportunities as the value for a player could rise and the return in the trade is greater than it is today. Trading Okafor or Noel is just as big of a risk as it is to hold onto them for a little bit longer, and you need to take risks to become great, however, I think holding onto the big men for a little bit longer could benefit the Sixers more in the long run.
Add The Sports Daily to your Google News Feed!
