In the last week, I’ve written about the point guards and shooting guards so today we will be moving onto small forwards. The Sixers have a good player on a great contract in Robert Covington but lack depth on the wing. Point guard will probably be the team’s first priority in the draft but they shouldn’t ignore the hole on the wing. If the right players fall, the Sixers should be ready to select those guys with their late first round picks. The rules remain the same, fit matters but talent rules. Let’s get started.
Brandon Ingram, Duke (Full Scouting Report)
Ingram is one of the few elite prospects in this draft. The first thing you notice about the lanky swingman from Duke is his 7’3” wingspan. He supplements that length with great skills. Ingram is a silky shooter who can handle and pass the ball really well from the wing. He would provide immediate spacing and some playmaking on the wing for a team that desperately needs it. Ingram is certainly one of the more versatile players on both sides of the ball in this draft. That kind of versatility is incredibly valuable on the court and off court in terms of future roster construction. The hope with Ingram is that he can become a number on option on offense as a scoring wing who provides really good defense.
As time has gone on, I have become more worried about Ingram’s athleticism. He is a very good and smooth athlete but he’s not particularly explosive. Ingram is incredibly skilled but it becomes incredibly difficult to be an elite offensive player without that explosive athleticism. I think Ingram will improve as an athlete as he grows into his body and gets stronger but it’s a real concern. I still have faith that Ingram will be a really solid player in the league but I don’t think he’s in the same tier as Simmons. I think he’s closer to the level of Dragan Bender. That’s not an insult to Ingram because I love Bender. Still, I think it’s clear that the Sixers prefer Simmons and I can’t say I disagree with them.
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Jaylen Brown, Cal
Brown is one of the more polarizing players in this draft. Brown certainly has the body of an elite NBA wing. Brown stands at 6’7” a nearly 7” wingspan. Brown is also an elite athlete. He might even be the best athlete in the entire draft. Still, there are concerns about his game. He isn’t the most skilled player. He shot under 30% from 3 point range and committed more turnovers than assists this season at Cal. A bet on Jaylen Brown is a bet on improvement. He certainly needs to improve his shooting stroke, his handle, and his decision making ability. If he can improve on even two of those things, I think you could have an all-star caliber player.
Still, betting on improvement is a dangerous game to play with NBA draft prospects. Obviously all of these guys will get better but some of them will never develop their skills enough to become impact players. The odds are probably against Brown improving to the point where he becomes a superstar or even a perennial all-star. Brown is probably an NBA player due to his athleticism alone but he really needs to improve in a few areas to become an effective professional player.
I’m in the middle on Brown. I think his athletic gifts are really impressive but I don’t know you can count on him to improve enough to validate a top 5 pick. I see Brown as a fringe top 10 prospect due to his athleticism and upside but it would make me uncomfortable to draft him very highly due to his relative lack of skill. Still, a draft that is pretty weak at the small forward position, Brown checks in as the number 2 player at the position.
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Deandre Bembry, Saint Joseph’s
I really like the local kid as a prospect. He’s a very good athlete who does everything except shoot. Bembry’s most impressive attribute in my mind is his passing. He just has a tremendous feel for the game and will make some really incredible passes. I think he needs a shooting stroke to be a starter in the NBA but I think he has a role in the league even if he never improves in that regard. He will be able to hold his own on the defensive end for sure. He has pretty good size at 6’6” with 6’9” wingspan. That certainly isn’t elite size but Bembry makes for it with his athleticism.
Bembry is also just an incredibly smart player. I think that will allow him to transfer from a go to player at Joe’s into more of a role player in the NBA. Something like that is pretty difficult to quantify but it stands out when you watch him. For me, Bembry is a top 15 player in this draft. He could go that high but I would expect him to go a few spots later than that. I think Bembry will be gone by pick 24 but if he’s there, the Sixers should certainly snatch him up.
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Taurean Prince, Baylor
Taurean Prince is a former high school point guard who went through a huge growth spurt. Prince now has the body of a legitimate NBA wing as 6’8” with a near 7” wingspan. Prince also has pretty good athleticism on the wing. That combination of size and speed gives Prince some really interesting defensive versatility. I think he will be able to guard small forwards and most power forwards in the NBA. That kind of flexibility on defense is crucial in the modern NBA.
On offense, Prince is not a guy who will create for himself at a high level, but he has some interesting skills. He has a good outside shot, hitting 38% of them at Baylor. Prince also brings some other skills to the table. He is a really good passer and rebounder. He is the type of role player that can do everything on the floor except be an elite offensive player. He could really help the Sixers on the wing in the coming years. Like Bembry, I doubt he falls to 24, but I would be happy if the Sixers could pick him there.
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Paul Zipser, Bayern Munich
Zipser is essentially the foreign Taurean Prince. He stands at 6’8” with an above average wingspan and some really intriguing positional versatility. Zipser might not be quite the athlete that Prince is but he’s very close. Zipser bridges the athletic gap by being a slightly better shooter than Prince. He’s an over 40 percent shooter from distance from the international line (shorter than the NBA but longer than college). Zipser, like Prince, will never be someone who creates for himself but he can space the floor and attack a closeout. I think he has solid potential as an NBA role player. The Sixers could grab him with one of their late first round picks or move into the second round to grab the German international player. I think that’s pretty good value for a guy who is close to a top 20 player and fills a team need.
Honorable Mentions
Caris Levert, Michigan
Probably more of a shooting guard but has small forward length. Good athlete with a nice shot and good ball skills. Would probably be a lottery pick if he could just stay healthy but has had surgery on both feet. Big risk to take in a deep draft.
Rade Zagorac, Mega Leks
Really skilled all around wing that lacks athleticism. Good size at 6’9” but doesn’t have a long wingspan to make up for athletic deficiencies. Will probably be a plus on offense and hopes to mitigate some defensive concerns with great effort and intensity.
Malachi Richardson, Syracuse
Astronomical rise. Wasn’t a bigtime prospect until a few good NCAA tourney games. Has rise into the conversation as a lottery pick. Looks the part with a big body and long arms but has terrible numbers. Average outside shooter but has one of the worst percentages from inside the arc you will see from a wing prospect. Didn’t learn any man to man defensive principles at Syracuse. Has a lot of upside but I wouldn’t bet on him putting it all together.
Jake Layman, Maryland
Probably more of a stretch four in a small forward body. Potential defensive versatility but probably can’t guard either forward position well enough. Skilled with the ball and a good shooter but lacks the athleticism to succeed. Decent prospect but wouldn’t consider until the late second round.
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