Section 215
Fansided

Philadelphia 76ers: NBA looks to reform NBA Draft, hopes to limit “tanking”

By Brendon McCullin

NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 22: The draft board is seen displaying picks 1 through 30 after the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 22, 2017 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images)
NEW YORK, NY - JUNE 22: The draft board is seen displaying picks 1 through 30 after the first round of the 2017 NBA Draft at Barclays Center on June 22, 2017 in New York City. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Mike Stobe/Getty Images) /

Process Derailed?

So, if Silver is successful in getting teams to agree to reform the NBA Draft lottery, what will that do to the Philadelphia 76ers and The Process. It’s important to note that this is only a proposal at this point. Even if the NBA were to adopt the new plan, the soonest it would go into effect would be the 2019 draft.

Hopefully, by that point, the Sixers own pick will be well outside of the lottery. What could come into play, however, is the Sacramento Kings 2019 first rounder that the team currently controls.

If the Los Angeles Lakers’ first round pick doesn’t fall within the 2-6 spots, then the Sixers keep the pick and send that Sacramento one along to Boston as part of the Markelle Fultz trade. If the Lakers’ pick does convey to the Celtics this year, then suddenly the Sixers are very much in the 2019 lottery discussion.

The thing is, though, that having the odds of teams further back in the lottery improve, might actually benefit Philadelphia. The Kings should be bad during the 2018-19 season, but they most likely won’t have the worst record. Leveling the odds of that pick moving up would be a good thing.

On the Other Hand

One interesting part of Wojnarowski’s report had to do with another idea that isn’t currently part of the proposal that the league’s competition committee is voting on next week. According to the report, there is a separate movement that would limit how many consecutive times a team can pick in the top three.

Both the Sixers and the Timberwolves have benefited from picking multiple times in that top group. With Joel Embiid, Jahlil Okafor (remember him?), Simmons and Fultz, the 76ers have a four year run of making their selection in the first three.

Things would have to break just right for this to affect Philadelphia, even if it were suddenly adopted. The Sixers would have to end up with top three pick this season, which is, realistically, unlikely. Then they would have to have to hold onto the Sacramento pick or have an extremely disappointing season in 2018-19, for it to come into play.

Next: Jahlil Okafor could turn things around

The cold hard fact is that the Phildelphia 76ers already dodged the bullet when the 2014 draft reform failed. At this point, with a core group that features a ton of lottery selections, the team shouldn’t have to worry too much about what the league does with the draft. Their reaction, though, does reinforce just much Hinkie managed to screw with the NBA’s collective head during his brief tenure in Philadelphia. The Process wins yet again.