Why would I want to be a fan of a team that has been accused of tanking? Simply because of the intriguing way that Philadelphia's GM Sam Hinkie is going about reloading this team primarily through the draft. Hinkie has acquired five second round picks for the 76ers this year! On top of this they have, in my opinion, a very good chance at getting four first round draft picks next year! That is crazy to stockpile that many draft picks.
FYI - I'm only fully dedicate myself to Mr. Ben Franklin and the 76ers if they draft my man D'Angelo Russell with the third pick in this year's draft.
Russell will be a stud in the NBA, given his great size (6"5) and ability to play the 1 or 2. He is an extremely smart player and always seems to make the right play. In a generation where many young players force shots, Russell does an amazing job of letting the game come to him and making the easy play. I watched him play multiple times this year at Ohio State and his most impressive performance likely came against VCU in last year's NCAA Tournament. He led the Buckeyes to a 75-72 overtime victory, while scoring 28 points on 50% shooting in the game. He only had one assist and four turnovers but if you watched the game he made so many great passes that put his team in a situation to score. Russell is as smooth as they come and he can really shoot the ball (41% from three at OSU), a skill that the 76ers desperately need. The major knocks on Russell are his athleticism and defense. Defensively, Russell is not a lockdown defender but he has two of the best young shot blockers behind him in Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid to protect him. The Ohio State product is a stud and my favorite player in the draft, if the 76ers pass on him it will be a major mistake.
On top of the logo, young talent and the D'Angelo Russell possibility, I just love that the 76ers have so many draft picks. The likelihood that they use all of their draft picks the next two years is slim to none, but they potentially have eleven draft picks - 6 in 2015, 5 in 2016 - the next two years! If he's available at number three, picking Russell is a no brainer to me but let's gander at the five second round picks. I believe the Sixers will use all five draft picks unless a team comes at them with a pretty stellar deal.
SHOOTING. SHOOTING. SHOOTING. That is what the 76ers need and that is what they get with Russell. The Sixers' picks in the second round are numbers 35, 37, 47, 58, and 60. With this many picks the Sixers can take risks on guys with high potential or a shaky past. Don't expect them to draft five players for next year, as they do not have that many open roster spots. They will at least use one pick on a foreign born player as a draft and stash, possibly two. With their first two picks the Sixers need to get players that can score, especially from behind the arc. Names that I like are Rashad Vaughn from UNLV, Michael Frazier from Florida (hurts to mention a Gator), or Olivier Hanlan from Boston College.
The likelihood they get Vaughn at the 35th pick is extremely low given he has great size, high scoring potential from all three levels, and has been performing very well in draft workouts. Frazier can flat out shoot the three ball all while being able to defend at a high level. Hanlan is a player that is very intriguing to me. He will have to transition from shooting guard to point guard due to his size, but I watched this guy torch Florida State for three years and I think he could form a very solid backcourt with D'Angelo Russell. The Boston College product will definitely be able to score at the next level and could give Philly a spark off the bench. What I'm really hoping for is that they'll draft two players (SHOOTERS) with these picks that can make an immediate impact.
What is really intriguing is the 2016 NBA Draft as the Sixers have a good chance of getting four first round picks. They will have their own pick, the Lakers' first round pick (protected 1-3), the Heat's first round pick (protected 1-10), and the Thunder's first round pick (protected 1-15). I truly believe they will have four first round picks, especially Miami's and OKC's because if both these teams are healthy they will make the playoffs. Depending on next year's success , Hinkie and the Sixers may use all of these picks or package them in a deal for a star player. I hope they keep all of the picks because I think it would be awesome to build a team from completely within.
All in all I love where the 76ers are going, they have a solid young core and I think D'Angelo Russell will be a very good long-term NBA player. Joel Embiid and Nerlens Noel will protect the paint for years to come and players like, Robert Covington, Tony Wroten Jr., and Hollis Thompson give the Sixers a solid core of role players. They are coached by Brett Brown, who spent 13 years in the Spurs organization - arguably the best organization over that time - and will create a family culture in Philadelphia that will lead to success for years to come. Benjamin Franklin and I are all in for the 76ers, are you?
No comments:
Post a Comment