NBA Draft 2017: 5 targets for the Philadelphia 76ers
Trusting the process is becoming much easier with the Philadelphia 76ers, but which players should they target in the 2017 NBA Draft to take the next step?
The Philadelphia 76ers finished the 2016-17 season with 28 wins and the fourth-worst record in the NBA. For most teams, this would go down as a notably bad year. As the vaunted “Process” is taking shape, though, that mark is a positive sign for the Sixers. From the lows that they’ve experienced, 28 wins and the brief sighting of Joel Embiid is enough to call this past season a success.
No matter how much of a success situationally the season was in Philadelphia, though, there is still work left to be done. Obviously the 76ers would be greatly aided by simply getting healthy throughout the roster. That would get Embiid back on the floor and allow 2016’s No. 1 overall draft pick, Ben Simmons, to finally make his NBA debut.
Even outside of that, however, the 76ers are far from complete team. Things are starting to take shape and it’s clear the organization has a ton of promising pieces. With that said, there are still glaring holes on the roster that need to be filled.
For the Sixers, the biggest needs clearly lie outside of the frontcourt. With Simmons, Embiid and Dario Saric, Philly has their core of bigs in place. Now they need to start rounding things out on the wings and in the backcourt. Sitting with the No. 3 pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, they’ll have the opportunity to do just that.
So, who could the Sixers take with the third pick? These five targets could all be in play come draft night.
5. Lonzo Ball, PG, UCLA
For many, the assumption has been that the Los Angeles Lakers will take point guard Lonzo Ball with the second pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. However, recent reports have indicated that’s far from a done deal. While there’s a good chance that’s some sort of a smokescreen being thrown by Lakers brass, the possibility is certainly there that Ball will drop to the No. 3 pick and the Sixers.
Ball’s playmaking is the trait that makes him stand out as an elite NBA prospect. During his one season at UCLA, he proved to be a dynamic playmaker and passer that can wow fans in the open floor. What’s more, Ball also possess great height and length for his position, allowing him tremendous versatility at the position, as well as offering potential.
Considering that the 76ers rolled with a rotation of T.J. McConnell and Jerryd Bayless at point guard, the need at the position is clear. Ball would give them the primary ball-handler they need to run the show. It’s hard for Sixers fans not to salivate a bit at the though of Ball being able to set up the likes of Embiid and Saric.
However, the complicated issue with Ball when it comes to his fit in Philadelphia arises when you consider Simmons. Though he’s sized like a big man, Simmons truthfully plays in a similar manner to Ball as a point forward. He possesses the ability to push the ball up the floor and make plays with his passing while having concerns about his jump shot. That redundancy isn’t something the 76ers should be pursuing, thus making Ball not the ideal pick at No. 3 if he were to fall.