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Sixers Future Assets Allow Them To Own This Year’s Draft

By George Kondoleon

Jan 21, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo watch a game against the Atlanta Hawks in the third quarter at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 110-93. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports
Jan 21, 2017; Atlanta, GA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo watch a game against the Atlanta Hawks in the third quarter at Philips Arena. The Hawks won 110-93. Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Sixers will have at least one top ten pick in this year’s NBA Draft, but their potential future assets will give them leverage to maneuver now.

The Sixers will go into Tuesday hoping for many occurrences, but the ideal scenario would lead to Philadelphia securing the top pick in the draft for the second consecutive year in some way. Bryan Colangelo will watch as his team has two different ways of securing the top pick and a good chance the team acquires a second top five pick thanks all thanks to his predecessor.

Assuming the Sixers leave Tuesday night with just one pick, the team then owns a 2018 unprotected Los Angeles Lakers pick and their own first-round pick. The Sixers also secure a 2019 unprotected Sacramento Kings pick, along with their own that season. It’s almost common knowledge for anyone that follows the team. What’s unknown is how the team will use their future assets.

It’s a situation not quite as similar to the Boston Celtics, as the Sixers are still working to regain competitiveness. But the front office can use Danny Ainge‘s actions (or non-actions) as a precedent to work off of. While Boston have a competitive core in place, the Sixers have a promising one. One they can continue to build around through the draft, or one they can elevate with a big splash.

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Let’s assume, for a second, that the Sixers end up with the first and fourth picks in the draft. The draw would go towards Markelle Fultz, who is the “assured star” in this draft. Having that first pick alone draws trade interest. Add in the fourth pick, which can easily lead to a star prospect, and now the Sixers hold clout in almost any deal. So now a question of philosophy comes into play.

Does Philadelphia go all in on a proven star, or do they attempt the difficult Golden State Warrior method? Drafting and growing a group of stars takes time, time the team have already invested in. Does new management change course? Or, better yet, does ownership allow management to do so. Either way, the Sixers can own this draft.

Having two potential top ten picks could give Philadelphia an opportunity to trade up to as high as the top spot. It also allows them to use a draft pick on a selection, then look for options to trade down to collect more assets. The Sixers have the leverage to move however they’d like come June, using their future assets as a failsafe, or even an added sweetener in a mega-deal.

The potential for a future unprotected Lakers pick, the Sixers’ own picks, and the unprotected 2019 Kings pick allows Colangelo to feel confident in almost any move or non-move the Sixers take. But learning from Danny Ainge, sitting on assets could be halting the development of a team as a whole. On the flip side, allowing a team to grow naturally could do wonders for chemistry and build an unbreakable core.

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Both options have downfalls, and the risk is just as equal with either path taken. What should comfort the front office is the ability to hit reset a year later with future picks. The Sixers can own this year’s draft with any move they make.