Philadelphia 76ers: What Happens If Ping Pong Balls Don’t Fall Their Way?
The Philadelphia 76ers will be praying they fall in the top 2 spots in this year’s lottery, but what happens if the ping pong balls once again bounce the wrong way for them?
The Philadelphia 76ers and their fanbase are expecting either Brandon Ingram or Ben Simmons, but it’s a real possibility they see disaster and fall to the 3rd or even 4th pick in the draft.
This would be disheartening, but the Philadelphia 76ers can still make very impactful moves outside of the top 2. Analyzing the different drafting theories will help to understand the various possibilities that could happen at 3rd or 4th.
Drafting Best Player Available
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BPA vs. team fit will forever be debated. The fact is, it’s a case to case situation. Last season, the Philadelphia 76ers made the decision to go BPA and draft Jahlil Okafor to continue their hunt for a star. This decision was debatable, but ultimately it was the right move for a Philadelphia 76ers even with Kristaps Porzingis’ exciting career start.
Drafting BPA at 3rd or 4th is a matter of opinion. It undoubtedly takes out Cal prospect Jaylen Brown out of the mix. Many are touting Dragan Bender as the best available. Bender is a power forward that can stretch the floor with his mid-range game.
This would mean the Philadelphia 76ers would be using their first overall pick on a big man for the 4th consecutive year. As USAToday’s Derek Bodner states, the Sixers do not really have an outright starter at the position.
He’s not wrong in saying this. Even if Dragan Bender is the best available player, it won’t necessarily create a clog down low. Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, and Okafor are outright centers. Power forward Dario Saric will be an unknown and it is not certain he will make an impact.
Drafting Bender would bring the team a talented power forward and bolster an unknown position for them. If the Sixers draft BPA, Dragan Bender would be the right choice.
Drafting For Fit.
Although Jamal Murray is the better offensive player, Kris Dunn would make the most sense outside of the top 3. Dunn is much more of a facilitator and can still be a serviceable shooter in the NBA.
This is the most likely theory the Philadelphia 76ers will go with, as the shift to team building will be more evident. Kris Dunn would give the Sixers a promising young guard who will able to contribute almost immediately.
Dunn isn’t the sexiest pick, but he would be the safest pick in the 3 to 5 draft position range in terms of drafting for fit.
Trading The Pick
There is always the cop out option of trading the pick if it falls outside of the top 2 spots. The value of the pick is conjoined to many variables, however.
Although GM Mitch Kupchak dismissed the rumors that the Los Angeles Lakers would trade their top 3 pick, it won’t be surprising if there is still some intrigue from the team to trade their pick.
If the Lakers fall to a better spot than the Philadelphia 76ers do, their pick would obviously be more coveted.
If the Sixers are able to move the 3rd or 4th pick, it won’t be for any blockbuster name. The 3rd or 4th picks do not contain consensus prospects, therefore teams would much rather see how the draft plays out before making any moves.
The Sixers would be able to move back in the draft and acquire a decent perimeter player in a trade. The question is how far back will they move?
There is no real way to tell how teams value the pick, but the guess would be that the Philadelphia 76ers won’t be able to agree to deal worthwhile. They still will hold the two late first round picks, so trading the pick not at its highest value may not be as much of a bother for the Sixers as we think.
Next: Trade Suitors For Late First Round Picks
The Philadelphia 76ers will have many options if they fall out of the top 2, but they must make the right choice. It might be smart to trade the pick if they can still stay in the top 10, which would allow them to draft a decent prospect.