• March 19, 2024

Got The Third Pick, Now What For The Sixers

LEXINGTON, KY – JANUARY 07: De’Aaron Fox #0 of the Kentucky Wildcats dribbles the ball during the game against the Arkansas Razorbacks at Rupp Arena on January 7, 2017 in Lexington, Kentucky. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Okay the Sixers have the third pick in the draft.  What does that mean?  Who is going to be there with the Celtics and the Lakers picking before them?  I don’t even want to get into a conversation about Boston and Los Angeles getting the two top picks.  Who is going to have the nerve to tell me that is a coincidence?

Regardless, let’s focus on the Sixers.   Who should they pick?

It’s got to be one of the following five players:  Washington’s Markelle Fultz, UCLA’s Lonzo Ball, Kansas’ Josh Jackson, Florida States’ Jonathan Isaac or Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox.  Some have even mentioned Duke’s Jayson Tatum or Kentucky’s Malik Monk could very easily work his way into that conversation.

Kentucky’s De’Andre Fox is on tape saying how he fells about playing with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.

“I feel like I’m shooting it a lot better,” Fox said. “Once I’m getting back to how I shot it in high school, I feel like I could really fit with Ben. He’s fast. I feel like the position he plays, not many people can grab a rebound and push it with the speed and vision that he has.”

“Playing with any good big, it’s a positive”, Fox said about playing with Embiid. “It kind of takes the pressure off of you. You throw it in there and they’re going to double-team and do whatever they can to stop him. It’s going to get me open looks, and I just have to show that I can knock them down.”

If he could hit his outside shot he would be a great fit with Embiid and Simmons, but I don’t buy him saying he’s going to shoot like he did in high school.  I do like the speed Fox has. You can’t buy speed.  Either you have or you don’t.

Fox dropped 39 on Lonzo Ball and UCLA with Lakers GM Magic Johnson sitting in the first row.  ESPN draft analyst Chad Ford wrote “growing movement among teams to rank Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox ahead of Ball.”

Ball is a tremendous player with greater shooting range than Fox.  He would seem to be a good fit with Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid because he has an outside shot and he has the ability to play without the ball because of his outside shooting ability.

Don’t forget Florida State’s young Jonathan Isaac, who is a 6’10” phenom with three-point range, athleticism and ball-handling skills.

I wouldn’t be surprised if the Birds find themselves having to choose between Fox, Lonzo Ball, Josh Jackson, or Jonathan Isaac.

What do you think?

GCOBB

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paulman
paulman
May 17, 2017 7:35 am

Josh Jackson or Jonathon Issac
Fultz will be Gone and Stay away from Ball and His Father….

paulman
paulman
May 17, 2017 7:38 am

Josh Jackson or Jonathon Issac
Markelle Fultz will be Gone and Stay away from Lonzo Ball and His Father….
This Draft Class is way overrated anyways..

mhenski
mhenski
May 17, 2017 8:30 am
Reply to  paulman

Please explain how you came to the conclusion the draft class is overrated ?

Because everything I see says it’s the best in a long time. Loaded with guards fox ball Fultz smith all gonna be studs. Josh Jackson will be a stud too.

I think ball and Jackson fit Boston best

I think ball fits best with lakers

I think Fultz or smith fits best with us

paulman
paulman
May 17, 2017 11:00 am
Reply to  mhenski

I don’t see many Big’s or even PF in this Draft that are going to contribute in their Rookie Seasons much, there are lots of Guards, in which many can Create/Run an Offense but only a handful are polished shooters or have the strength and toughness yet to play at the NBA Level, like most 18-19 Year Old Kids, it’s a 2-3 Year Process before most of this Class makes any Impact
if at all..

Josh Jackson (Kansas) appears to be the Most NBA Ready starting out

The 76ers Finished with the 4th Worst Record in the NBA for the 2017 Season and got the 3rd Overall Pick in the Draft..

PG Malik Monk (Kentucky 6-3′ 200lbs) & PG Dennis Smith (North Carolina 6-3″ – 190lbs) would be Nice Fits with the Current 76ers Roster if Fultz is gone already, which is expected and they decide to go Guard with their Top Pick.
If they simply Select the the BPA at #3, then they could Select SF Josh Jackson, SF Jason Tatum, SF Jonathon Issac over Guards Ball,Monk,Smith or Fox

PG Isiah Briscoe (Kentucky 6-3′ 210lbs) & Andrew Jones (Texas 6-4 190lbs) would be a Nice Pick in the 2nd Round to groom as a Back-up PG for down the Road

SG Sindarius Thornwell (South Carolina 6-5′-211lbs) & Josh Hart (Villanova 6-5′ – 215lbs) would be nice Selections in the Late 1st/2nd Round

SF Dillon Brooks (Oregon 6-7 225lbs) & Austin Nichols (Virginia 6-9 234lbs) would be nice 2nd Round Selections

PF Caleb Swanigan (Purdue 6-9′ – 250lbs) & John Collins (Wake Forest 6-10″ – 235lbs) DJ Wilson (Mich State 6-10 240lbs) would be nice Fits in the Late 1st or Early 2nd Round)

Lots of different directions for the 76ers to go and probably even an opportunity to Trade Down a few Few Spots for Future Assets if they choose that route

mhenski
mhenski
May 17, 2017 11:10 am
Reply to  paulman

If they select BPA Tatum, and Isaac and Monk wouldnt even be in the conversation since it wouldnt be close between them and Jackson, Smith and Fox as to who is the BPA. Tatum, Isaac Monk wouldnt be in the conversation of BPA at all. Just stop

coldbrewski
coldbrewski
May 17, 2017 6:12 pm
Reply to  mhenski

He can’t. He doesn’t know ish about bball. He just can’t refrain from commenting no matter how foolish he looks.

mhenski
mhenski
May 17, 2017 8:34 am

Regarding the article

A ball has to totally change his shot for the NBA. Shooting from the hip ain’t working in the bigs.

Isaac isn’t a fit here and won’t be considered

You forgot smith who may end up being the best guard in the class

“I wouldn’t be surprised if the Birds find themselves having to choose between Fox, Lonzo Ball, Josh Jackson, or Jonathan Isaac.”

THE BIRDS??????

mhenski
mhenski
May 17, 2017 10:25 am

I think the sixers need to do whatever it takes to get Fultz. Boston will be hard to do business with and wont wont Okafor so I am hoping they pass on him for Jackson… If Fultz is there at 2 I would give the Lakers Okafor, #3 pick and their pick back next year for the right to move up 1 spot for him as Fultz is the perfect fit for us and I wouldnt want to gamble on Lakers passing on him for Ball. Okafor has no value so thats no biggie, giving Lakers their pick on paper is a huge deal but next years class looks awful so it would be worth it imo

all prospects after Fultz have flaws or question marks on how they would fit here. gotta find a way imo

if they cant get him they gotta get Smith or Fox ( my preference is Smith)

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
May 17, 2017 10:40 am
Reply to  mhenski

CBS mock is a wierd one.

1 Tatum
2 Ball
3 Fultz

The justification was that Boston has Thomas, so they don’t need Fultz.

mhenski
mhenski
May 17, 2017 10:57 am
Reply to  bugsyhawk

yea good luck to boston if they take fultz. that guard combo aint gonna work well in the nba. wont be able to defend for shit. cant see them selecting fultz but i can see them taking jackson or trading. theres no way they take tatum 1. maybe they trade back and get him but not at 1

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
May 17, 2017 11:14 am
Reply to  mhenski

I agree with you. I think that there is still a good possibility that Fultz can get to 3 unless the Lakers take him instead of Ball. Thomas needs the ball in his hands.

mhenski
mhenski
May 17, 2017 10:28 am

EAGLES GET BLOUNT – hmmmmmm idk if i like that

Xevious
Xevious
May 17, 2017 10:40 am

I like it. I veteran guy with a lot of Playoff experience. Matthews gone most probably. Gives them a big back who isn’t a UDFA like Clement. Only a year. Good for Wentz too i think. THE RB corp is looking more and more NE like with each passing day.

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
May 17, 2017 10:44 am
Reply to  Xevious

I agree X. I like it. Blount is a 3rd and 1 and a redzone back. We have been clamoring for that, so here it is. Gives Doug more options on offense.

One year show me deal. Re-sign later. Maybe get lucky with Clement. Or draft a RB next year.

mhenski
mhenski
May 17, 2017 11:00 am
Reply to  bugsyhawk

Blount is fine. nothing special. Hes a load carrying the mail but offers you nothing in the screen game or any type of passing situation… not sure how that will work since our wr dropped everything last year and wentz routinely checked to the rbs

will see i guess

bugsyhawk
bugsyhawk
May 17, 2017 11:20 am
Reply to  mhenski

Agree there. I think that he will be in on running situations. I think that the thought is with the depth at OLine, then they should be able to line up and run with Blount. You pair him with Sproles/Pumphrey and you have a nice change of pace. He is a also a guy that can close out a game when you have the lead. He is a stop gap, but a powerful one.

paulman
paulman
May 17, 2017 11:16 am

Blount is a Great Pick-up for the Eagles and will provide some Size and Strength with Experience for Short Yardage/Red-Zone Opportunities and hopefully will help quite a bit to close out Games in the 4th Quarter when th Eagles are Leading and especially late in the Season when nursing a lead in bad weather which the Eagles have been unable to do for a while .. Blount is also good at Pass-Blocking and Picking up Blitzes
No he’s not much of a threat to Catch the Ball out of the Backfield but that is what Darren Sproles/Donnell Pumphrey will do, so they don’t need Blount for that but they do need Blount for Leadership. Toughness and Championship Experience …