May 23, 2016
Ever since the Sixers started The Process, I have a hard-and-fast rule when it comes to picking at the top of the NBA Draft: Take the best player in your estimation, position be damned. Fit should only come into play when two prospects grade out very closely.
Say it with me: BPA, BPA, BPA.
After a 10-win season and with the Sixers picking first in the upcoming draft, that hasn’t changed one bit. If you think Brandon Ingram should be the Sixers' pick at No. 1, that is a perfectly reasonable stance. If that is primarily because Ingram looks to be a cleaner fit on paper with the Sixers’ collection of bigs than Ben Simmons, I don’t agree with that rationale.
After the first two picks, though, is where I believe you can start worrying about fit (because the talent level is lower).
And if that pick is Simmons, an ultra-talented playmaker that projects to function as a point forward in the NBA, Bryan Colangelo might have to look at roster construction a bit differently than most of the league's decision makers. Simply put, if you draft Simmons, you put the ball in his hands:
With Simmons in the fold, the Sixers would probably look to target players who can shoot threes and thrive off the ball more than traditional playmakers. This could be seen in a couple of areas:
1. Draft: It has been heavily rumored that the Sixers could trade Jahlil Okafor to the Boston Celtics for the third overall pick. The $64,000 question would be about the next step. Dragan Bender, who I believe is the draft’s third-best prospect, would have to join the Sixers’ already crowded frontcourt, which could already be adding Simmons and Dario Saric.
Kris Dunn, widely considered the draft’s top point guard, isn’t considered a “knock-down shooter” (although he made 37.2 percent of his threes last year) and also had the ball in his hands all the time at Providence. Are you confident that he will make the proper adjustments in the NBA next to Simmons?
If both Bender and Dunn aren’t in play, would the Sixers feel comfortable trading Okafor for a shooter like Jamal Murray? How about Denzel Valentine? Could the Celtics possibly sweeten their offer and throw in a veteran “3-and-D” wing like Avery Bradley? Should they?
Maybe Danny Ainge stays at 3 and simply takes Bender, too. If the Sixers do decide to move Okafor for that pick, their next decision would be a fascinating one. Colangelo could also look to target shooting at 24 and 26, if he keeps both of those picks.
2. Free agency: The Sixers have a ton of money to spend, but they have to figure out how to use it wisely. A top-tier free agent point guard like Mike Conley wouldn’t make sense due to his age and the amount of money he will command, but it’s also unclear if lower level free agents like Jeremy Lin or Brandon Jennings fit with Simmons from a style standpoint.
(RFA Seth Curry might not be a huge name, but he shot 45 percent from three in Sacramento last season and is comfortable playing off the ball. I would look strongly into trying to sign him to an offer sheet.)
The Sixers would want to target wings that can shoot and defend, which is easier said than done at a reasonable price range. Portland’s Allen Crabbe is someone who could fit the bill. Dion Waiters carries some risk as far as knowing his role (and I would likely pass for that reason), but he’s currently playing within himself on a title contender. And speaking of local guys, Gerald Henderson might be a decent “buy low” option although he has only been around a 34 percent three-point shooter the last few years.
Then there are the decisions Colangelo has to make with the players currently on the roster. Maybe someone like Hollis Thompson holds more value because of his length and ability to make catch-and-shoot threes. Free agent Ish Smith's poor outside shot might signal the end of his stay in Philly, especially since there would be less of a need for his playmaking with Simmons around.
There are plenty of other names in the free agent pool, and we will get into all of them over the next month. When it comes to roster construction, though, the potential addition of Simmons’ particular skill set could drastically change how the Sixers think about everyone else.
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann
