By Sean Kennedy (@PhillyFastBreak)
The 2014 NBA draft takes place tomorrow night, an event Sixers fans have eagerly awaited for ever since Sam Hinkie strapped a stick of dynamite to the S.S. Mediocrity on draft night a year ago. Finally, we’ll see the major pieces that a year’s worth of losing has brought the franchise, the foundational players who will (hopefully) form a contender 3-5 years down the road. Unfortunately, there have been some bumps in their path along the way.
First, the draft lottery witch doctors in Cleveland and an angel from above conspired to drop the Sixers to the third pick. Dr. J. remained unimpressed. Then, the continued erosion of Joel Embiid’s skeleton with the news of a fractured navicular bone in his foot threw the entire draft into chaos. Suddenly, after things had looked like they would break the Sixers way on draft night, the path to success became much more difficult to navigate. But we’ll leave that for tomorrow.
Draft Day Eve is a day for optimism. With that in mind, I’d like to break down the ideal way things could transpire tomorrow night, my pie-in-the-sky best case scenario. So here’s a (somewhat) realistic way the Sixers could get everything I want for them come draft night.
The Cavaliers wanted Joel Embiid. They desperately need a rim protector to anchor what was an abysmal defensive unit a year ago, plus, Embiid has the highest ceiling of anyone in the draft. Taking him with the first overall pick was at one time a slam dunk move for them. However, with the foot injury, Embiid will not be playing this season and Cleveland owner Dan Gilbert wants to make the playoffs after basically coming off like a fool with the post-Decision letter and last year’s guarantee that they wouldn’t be back in the lottery again this year. Whoops. Enter the Magic.
Orlando has offered Cleveland Arron Afflalo, and the 4th and 12th picks, for the first overall selection. Trading down would allow the Cavaliers to still select Embiid, but at a better value point with the fourth pick, while also picking up a quality veteran in Afflalo who can help them this season, in addition to another quality young player in a deep draft at 12.
The trickier part from the Sixers perspective would be what Orlando would then do with the pick. The general consensus would have them take Andrew Wiggins or Jabari Parker. That being said, they were very high on Dante Exum when Embiid was still healthy and it looked like Exum would fall to them at 4. The Magic are very much in need of a point guard and although something of an unknown commodity, Exum has the potential to be that game-changer the Magic need at the position. If they fell in love with taking Exum, they have to be concerned with the notion that the Sixers would grab him at 3. Let’s say they surprise the world, make the trade, and take Exum first overall.
Then, the Bucks have reportedly made a promise to Jabari Parker. He’s been their guy from the beginning, he played high school ball in nearby Chicago, they need a scorer. There’s probably no better fit between team and player in the draft.
Source: Milwaukee Bucks have promised Jabari Parker at number 2 if available. Other than CLE, refused to workout for other top 5 teams.
— Jake Pavorsky (@JakePavorsky) June 25, 2014
Which means, with the third overall pick, the Philadelphia 76ers select…
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Andrew Wiggins!
The fans rejoice as the year of Riggin’ for Wiggins pays off. The team gets a player for the next decade who at the very least will be a lockdown defender at the vital wing position and a terror in offensive transition, with a ceiling to become the next Paul George. After they catch their collective breaths, there’s still the 10th pick with which to concern themselves.
In my mind, there’s a pretty clear-cut top 8 with Parker, Wiggins, Exum, Embiid, in addition to Julius Randle, Noah Vonleh, Marcus Smart, and Aaron Gordon. Certainly, that’s a lot of top-level talent but it may not do you a whole lot of good when you’re sitting there at 10. Still, there are a couple of caveats to throw into the mix.
Am being told Elfrid Payton could be this year’s Damian Lillard, impressing greatly in workouts, won’t get out of Top 10 #nbadraft
— gary washburn (@GwashburnGlobe) June 24, 2014
A lot of buzz is circulating around Payton either going to the Lakers or Kings at 7 or 8. Let’s say one of those teams take him. Charlotte, a playoff team in the weak Eastern Conference with a huge hole in regard to quality outside shooting, takes either Nik Stauskas or Doug McDermott at 9.
With the 10th overall pick, the Philadelphia 76ers select…
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Aaron Gordon! Granted, his shooting woes are a concern but that’s why he would fall to 10 in the first place. Gordon is an absolute beast on the defensive end, would replicate all the little hustle plays we’ll miss when the team inevitably trades Thad Young, and his the potential to be a lite-version of Blake Griffin offensively. The kid is only 18 years old, he has a much better chance of ironing out his shooting difficulties than say, Michael Carter-Williams, who turns 23 next month. Even if the offensive game never pans out, at worst with Gordon, you’re getting a defensive terror who could credibly guard both 3s and 4s while also serving as another rim protector. A tandem of Wiggins and Gordon would arguably be the best defensive set of forwards in the league.
Sign me up for this! It’s a long shot but not totally out of the realm of possibility. Tomorrow, I’ll cover how I think things will actually go down on draft night. Now, let’s hear from you. What’s your ideal scenario for tomorrow night?
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