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The Sixers poor performance on the court this season at
least assured the team of an opportunity to add some top incoming talent.
By finishing with the league’s second-worst record behind
only the Milwaukee Bucks, the Sixers secured themselves a top-5 selection in
the upcoming NBA Draft. While landing the top overall pick, which the Sixers
have a 19.9% chance of doing, would be ideal, the this draft is deep, and no
matter where the Sixers’ selection ends up in the top 5, they’ll have a chance
to add some true talent.
Kentucky’s Julius
Randle announced his intentions to turn pro on Tuesday, and with that
announcement, all of the heavily-hyped freshman have officially declared for
the draft; a good thing for the Sixers who could be looking at two lottery
picks.
Who the Sixers select with their first first-round pick will
largely depend on where they land in the lotto, but let’s take a look at five
potential picks, meaning that the 7-6 are at least guaranteed to get one of
these guys.
AP Images |
Andrew Wiggins, G,
Kansas: Everybody knows about Wiggins, the athletic freshman freak from
Kansas. Wiggins has been arguably the most hype pre-professional player since
LeBron James, and he showed flashes of his potential throughout his freshman
season. He possess elite athleticism, a sweet stroke, and solid size. If you
haven’t seen ESPN’s Sports Science video on him, do yourself a favor and check
it out here.
While his game is far from complete, and it may take a
couple seasons of pro play before he blossoms completely, Wiggins has true
superstar potential, and looks like he could turn into one of the league’s
premier perimeter players. While Sam Hinkie’s MO has been to keep info
in-house, a
past report stated that Wiggins was the Sixers’ top target, and if he is
still available when they pick, it may be hard for the Sixers to pass on his
potential.
Jabari Parker, F,
Duke: After some deliberation, Parker declared for the draft, and he could
be in play for the Sixers pick. Throughout his freshman season at Duke Parker
drew comparisons to fellow one-and-doner Carmelo Antnony for his ability to
score with his back to the basket and by facing up on opponent. Parker’s
defensive deficiencies are a concern, especially after being
benched by Coach K in the second half of a tournament game over it, but
several still project
him as the draft’s top pick.
His offensive upside is enormous, as he looks like he could
develop into a go-go-guy at the next level. If Brett Brown believes that he
could improve Parker’s play on the defensive side of the ball, he might fit
very nicely on the Sixers’ wing, complimenting Michael Carter-Williams and
Nerlens Noel.
Joel Embiid, C,
Kansas: Embiid is clearly the best big in the draft, and many are expecting
him to go first overall. As a seven-footer, Embiid is extremely athletic, and
is an impact player at both ends of the floor. He is a paint protector on
defense, and he possess an expanding offensive arsenal. Also, he has drawn comparisons to Tim
Duncan and Hakeem Olajuwon, so there’s that.
Like with many big guys though, injuries are an issue, and a
concern. Embiid has already dealt with knee and back issues, the latter causing
him to miss his final college games. There’s no way to tell just how series
those injury issues are, but if they persist, a la Greg Oden, then that would
be extremely unfortunate, for the franchise and for Embiid. What if Embiid is
selected over say Wiggins or Parker, and it develops into another Oden/Kevin
Durant situation, with the Sixers stuck thinking what if?
With Embiid, the talent, and room to grow is there. He could
develop into a dominant player, but his situation screams: ‘draft with
caution!’ The Sixers don’t need any more bench-ridden bigs.
Julius Randle, F,
Kentucky: Randle had a huge season for the ‘Cats of Kentucky, and might
have been the most consistent of the heavily-hyped freshman. Randle is
extremely strong around the basket, is a good finisher, and a solid rebounder.
He has developed a decent mid-range game that has helped make him more
difficult to defend, and his ball handling is very good for someone of his
stature.
At 6’9’’ Randle is slightly undersized for an NBA 4, and he
isn’t polished enough for purely perimeter play. He will have to make up for
his size deficiency by hard play, effort, and expanding the range on his jump
shot. The Sixers would probably prefer a perimeter player, but if Wiggins and
Parker are unavailable, Randle might make a solid selection. A pairing of
Randle and Noel could potentially form the franchise’s frontcourt of the
future.
Dante Exum, G,
Australia: Not everyone has been exposed to Australian Exum since he didn’t
play in the NCAA, but the kid can ball. Exum is probably the best ball-handler
in the draft class, and he can get wherever he wants on the court. He is
extremely smooth, while still being explosive and athletic; think Russell
Westbrook or Penny Hardaway. Exum can get to the rim, or the line, with ease,
and is able to finish very well. He is extremely quick as well, which would fit
well with Brett Brown’s track-meet pace.
His shot is not yet the most consistent, but it is
improving. An issue with Exum however, is his similarity to Carter-Williams;
both are long, lanky guards who can make plays with the ball in their hands,
but neither are incredibly consistent shooters. It is feasible however,
especially if they are each able to improve upon their shooting, that they play
in the backcourt together, allowing the Sixers to ignite the fast break even
faster, as either could bring the ball down. Exum isn’t the Sixers top target, and
he reportedly wants
to play for the Lakers, but he could be an excellent addition
nonetheless.
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