The Philadelphia 76ers are in the middle of a massive rebuild, which has got many fans predicting who the team will take on draft day. The currect Sixers roster is as follows:[table id=3 /] As you can see, the Sixers have a pair of fantastic young big men, in Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid. Their games should complement each other nicely, due to Noel’s freak athleticsm and ability to run the floor, and Embiid being a defensive brick wall, and his agility on the offensive end of the floor.
The Sixers currently own a draft pick projected at number 3, along with the Lakers pick if it’s outside the top 5 (Lakers pick is projected at number 4).
Let’s get down to business. What do the Sixers need? Well, as stated before, they have a great, young frontcourt. Tony Wroten, Ish Smith, and Isaiah Caanan combine for a very young, but relatively explosive backcourt. Guys like Covington, Sampson, and Saric (Who has yet to join the team) will provide some solid guard/forward play.
Now, imagine the Sixers 3 years into the future. Who is still on the team? Noel, Embiid, Saric, Covington, and Wroten? At that point the Sixers will have made many (many, many) moves to sign (hopefully) championship level players to fill the voids around those 5. What can the Sixers get in this years draft that they will need 3 years down the road to compete for a championship? I say they need a stellar point guard to lead the way.
Targets (Projected 3rd pick in the draft)
The Obvious:
- D’Angelo Russell/Ohio State
Russel is the best point guard in this draft. He has the size and athletiscm, as he stands at 6’5″ and weighs 193lbs, to be a physically dominant point guard in the Association. He runs his offense extremely well, and has fantastic court vision and awareness. Russell was an elite shooter at the college level, which makes him even more versatile, as he can play either the point or the shooting guard position at the next level. Russell’s weakness is his average defensive game, but however, with proper coaching I believe this kid can achieve anything.
- Emmanuel Mudiay/China
Mudiay hangs with Russell physically, as he’s also 6’5″, weighs 196lbs, and is a freak athlete. He’s a terrific driver and finisher, which is key to being a solid player at the NBA level. What he lacks that Russell has is a consistent, excellent 3 point shot. He’s always been a combo guard, so he’s still learning how to master the point guard position. He reminds me of a young, raw version of Derrick Rose or even Russell Westbrook. He’s a powerful guard who hasn’t quite found his identity yet.
The Not-so-Obvious:
- Justise Winslow/Duke
Winslow is a physically gifted Small Forward. He hustles on both ends of the floor, and always seems to have a knack for finding the basketball. His mid-range game is weak and desperately needs to be revamped. However, his 3 point shot was pretty solid, and should be a threat at the next level. Although his character has been questioned on and off the court, I think Winslow has the potential to be a much, much better version of Michael Kidd-Gilchrist.
- Mario Hezonja/Croatia
He’s the stereotypical Croatian basketball player. Hezonja is a pure bred scorer who isn’t afraid to takeover a game. This kid stands at 6’7″ and can drive, shoot, and pass the basketball. Some scouts have shown serious concern about his selfishness and lack of effort on the defensive end of the floor, but I believe that once he comes to the NBA, he will become humbled. He’s got an unbelievable basketball IQ, and down the road, could be a very good small forward on an NBA finals team.
Conclusion
The Sixers will probably take Russell, but if he’s off the board I’d expect them to go with Mudiay. However, there’s that little voice in the back of my mind that says Sam Hinkie wants to shock the world. I wouldn’t mind the Sixers going with Winslow if they had a deal in the works for a point guard on the side. Hezonja will need to adjust to the league’s style of play, but once he does, I believe he and Saric could provide a close to unstoppable Euro-league style that will have defenses running in circles.
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