Sixers: Risks of trading back in the 2017 NBA Draft

By George Kondoleon | May 21, 2017

Dec 7, 2016; Lexington, KY, USA; Kentucky Wildcats head coach John Calipari talks with guard De'Aaron Fox (0) and guard Malik Monk (5) during the game against the Valparaiso Crusaders in the second half at Rupp Arena. Kentucky defeated Valparaiso 87-63. Mandatory Credit: Mark Zerof-USA TODAY Sports /

The Sixers are once again in the top three of the NBA Draft. But should they stay there?

If NBA Drafts were comic book characters were comic book characters, last year’s was Joker and this year’s is Batman. Despite the Sixers landing the most surefire prospect in Ben Simmons, last year saw an insane amount of parity due to the lack of depth in the class.

Draft boards seemed to laughable after that eventful night in June. The Celtics took what was viewed as a reach in wing Jaylen Brown. The Kings traded with the Suns to take Greek center Georgios Papagiannis eight spots too early. The Bucks took a chance on the inexperienced big man Thon Maker. Everything outside of the top two was unpredictable.

And the same will be said for the 2017 NBA Draft, but for opposite reasons. This top ten is loaded with comparable talent, and every team will have a different draft board heading into that night. With Markelle Fultz pinned as the consensus number one pick, and the Los Angeles Lakers’ ties with Chino Hills native Lonzo Ball, the top two is somewhat known.

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Outside of that, the Sixers have the chance to push a domino effect of draft selections. Josh Jackson is the name most are placing for the team, and for good reason. Jackson has the potential to become the next great young two-way wing. The Sixers immediate need isn’t another wing player, however, which have many thinking about scenarios where they trade down.

Despite the glamour of Jackson’s potential, there could be a chance the front office isn’t exactly enamored with the idea of slowly bringing along another wing player. Instead, they could favor a highly touted guard such as Dennis Smith, Jr., Malik Monk, and De’Aaron Fox, for example.

All those prospects could go anywhere from third to eighth. And if the Sixers feel confident in any of them, trading down to gain an extra asset while still selecting their favored prospect wouldn’t be the worst idea. There are dangers, of course.

The Sixers sitting at third have the potential to take who they feel will fit their team best outside of Fultz and Ball. If they feel confident enough in say, De’Aaron Fox, then why risk missing out on the opportunity to draft him just to pick up a lesser valued asset?

Again, this draft could go any which way after the Los Angeles Lakers are off the clock. The Phoenix Suns do have a crowded backcourt, and are in search of a wing, but the rest of the top ten are all in the market for a young guard. Is it worth it to miss out on the wanted prospect to trade back, gaining a side asset and saving the Sixers from negative draft perception?

The next question has to be what the Sixers could even get in return for trading down. There is always a market for teams wanting to trade up and secure their chance to draft their guy, but the value could be decreased considering the small gap in talent between these prospects. The Suns’ position at the fourth spot makes it even trickier. If the Suns were a few spots back, maybe the Sixers would be able to swindle Phoenix for a trade.

But with the talents of wing players Jayson Tatum and Jonathan Isaac still available, the Suns would be better off staying pat at fourth. If the Sixers want to snag one of Smith, Fox, or Monk, they could risk missing out on their choice for a small gain.

The consensus may be Jackson at the third spot, but in a draft with such a loaded class there’s no such thing as true consensus after Fultz. The Sixers may be better off staying at the third spot, and securing whomever they believe will complete this young core.

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Bryan Colangelo will undoubtedly keep all his options open. But if the Sixers are zoned in on one prospect, then there’s no shame in having that player’s named called at the third spot, controversial or not. If the 2016 NBA Draft has taught us anything, it’s that parity on draft night could turn to justified picks less than a year later.