NBA Draft 2016: 5 best destinations for Denzel Valentine

When a team tanks and gives up on players for the sake of collecting draft picks, that team will end up with a ton of first round picks that one can’t even remember how they got that pick in the first place. That is the case with the Philadelphia 76ers, who will get the Miami Heat’s top 10 protected first round pick in the 2016 NBA Draft.

Miami is a top six seed in the Eastern Conference and has an outside shot at playing for a trip to the NBA Finals in the Eastern Conference Finals this year. Since the lottery isn’t possible at this point for the Heat, here comes yet another first round pick for the 76ers, this one coming in the early 20s.

Choosing to upgrade the backcourt/wing positions should be priority No. 1 for this lowly Sixers franchise. They have drafted mostly big men in the last three drafts since choosing to tank (Nerlens Noel, Jahlil Okafor, Dario Saric, Joel Embiid).

Though the 76ers have had talent in the backcourt by means of former point guard Michael Carter-Williams and current guard Robert Covington, general manager Sam Hinkie would be wise to go after a player like Valentine out of Michigan State with the pick they’ll receive from the Heat this summer.

Since Valentine is already a strong defensive player, he’ll fit right in with head coach Brett Brown’s defense-first mentality. Even better, Valentine could provide some absolutely crucial scoring components out on the wing for the Sixers in his rookie year in 2016-17.

While he won’t be the first player, or even the second player, the 76ers take in this draft, it’s more of a reason for Philadelphia to go with a four-year collegiate player in Valentine to help bring leadership to this young Eastern Conference team.

Next: 1. Phoenix Suns (from Washington Wizards)