At approximately 7:50 p.m., the Sixers are scheduled to make the third overall pick in the NBA Draft, a monumental moment for the franchise. Whether they select third or move back a tad is up for debate. To prepare you for the moment of truth, here's everything important we've written and some other important last-minute notes.
"What I like, what I don't like" series
1. Karl-Anthony Towns, the best player in the draft and likely the one guy the Sixers won't have a chance to draft.
2. Jahlil Okafor, the polished low-post presence with defensive issues.
3. D'Angelo Russell, the ultra-smooth guard with some questions about his athleticism.
4. Emmanuel Mudiay, an intriguing prospect but in some ways the draft's biggest mystery.
5. Kristaps Porzingis, the Latvian big man who might very well be the reason the Sixers trade back.
6. Mario Hezonja, the cocky Croatian wing who brings athleticism and swag.
MORE NBA DRAFT COVERAGE
Live updates from the 2015 NBA Draft | NBA Draft rumors: Russell to the Lakers, Celtics willing to offer ‘mother lode’ | What should the Sixers do with the third pick? | NBA Draft Power Rankings | Sixers draft profiles: Kelly, Amaro, and Hextall
Sam Hinkie on Draft Boards
A couple of years ago, myself and a few other writers/bloggers got the opportunity to sit down with the Sixers GM. At the time, there was a report that Hinkie would've done the Jrue Holiday trade if any of Anthony Bennett, Victor Oladipo, or Nerlens Noel were available to the Pelicans at the sixth pick. Here was his response:
Never. Never, never never [would I have said that]. If you spend a lot of your life trying to gain an advantage, step one is 'how can we keep it'. Everything we've talked about is playing the long game. Revealing a draft board is the shortest or shortest of short games. I will not make myself look smart or dumb or let my guard down at the very first possible moment, the morning after the draft.
And this was four months after the draft! Some reporters obviously have the right intel because there are only a few scenarios within the realm of possibility. It's just hard to completely trust any one report unless the pick is obvious, which this one certainly isn't.
ESPN and DraftExpress on the Sixers
These outlets are two of the best at covering the NBA Draft. Chad Ford had the Sixers taking Mudiay, but changed his mind yesterday. Here's what he had to say about D'Angelo Russell in a chat today:
Yesterday at this time, that's what I thought. But in tons of phone calls last night with NBA teams, it sure sounded like Russell would be the guy if they kept the pick. But here's the truth, the Sixers are very tough to get accurate intel out of. That's why things are all over the place. Sam Hinkie likes to get assets and he's trying out different things to see what could land them multiple assets. Russell, Mudiay and Porzingis are all guys they'd be happy with. If they get a future first and move down a few spots, they'd do it.
And here is what DraftExpress' extended mock draft looks like. They also still have the Sixers selecting Russell:
While we were the first to move Porzingis to this spot even prior to his impressive coming out party workout in Las Vegas, many NBA teams feel that Philadelphia's interest in the Latvian may be overstated, a ploy to get other teams to try and move up via trade. Philadelphia is reportedly not Porzinigis' first choice according to what we're told, as he'd rather end up in LA or Orlando if it were up to him, but there are no assurances he'd be selected there at this stage. It will likely be difficult for Sam Hinkie to pick Porzingis without the benefit of his doctors conducting a comprehensive physical examination, which he won't get unless he decides to visit Philadelphia, especially in light of Joel Embiid's injury setback this week. D'Angelo Russell says he would be thrilled to play in Philadelphia after having an excellent workout there this week, and remains a very logical candidate for the Sixers positionally and talent-wise.
NBA Draft Power Rankings
Yesterday, I ranked the draft's top prospects in different ways from best shooter to which guy would make talk radio callers lose their minds the most (Hint: It's Porzingis). Fun post to write.
Nerlens <3's D'Angelo
If Nerlens Noel was making this pick, it's pretty obvious who he would take. CSN Philly sat down with him today, and here is what he said on Philly Sports Talk when asked about the draft's most intriguing player:
I'd definitely say D'Angelo. He definitely stood out to me, and my Kentucky guy Karl Towns of course. I think D'Angelo is the most intriguing player, especially at that point guard position being as big as he is. And his passing ability, I think he could do a lot for a couple of big men.
Me too, Nerlens. Me too.
Final prediction
Let's make it clear that this prediction is a complete guess, but here it goes: If Russell is there at the third pick, I think the Sixers take him. Nobody knows what Sam Hinkie is thinking, but there are too many reputable sources reporting that the Sixers like Russell to ignore. If he's gone by 3, I think they'll try to trade back a few spots for someone who wants Jahlil Okafor or Kristaps Porzingis, take someone like Emmanuel Mudiay or Mario Hezonja later, and collect an asset in the process.
By the way, I'm very much looking forward to being completely wrong, also known as Hinkie'd.
Follow Rich on Twitter: @rich_hofmann