While the 2019 NBA Draft may not bring the sizzle of recent drafts for the
76ers, it certainly packs plenty of significance.
Based on how last season ended, the franchise has every right to believe an NBA
championship could be within reach, provided that the club’s core is preserved.
“We were close,” General Manager Elton Brand said earlier this week, referring
to this spring’s playoff run “We are close.”
So how does the draft factor into all this?
That the Sixers aspire to be a big player in free agency is no secret. But
either retaining or acquiring new veteran talent – or both – is only part of the
equation.
The annual draft, set for Thursday at Barclays Center in Brooklyn, presents
another avenue by which Brand can fill out the Sixers’ rotation, and not just
for the here and now.
“We need young talent,” said Brand. “Even if we do get to the championship level
we aspire to, I don’t want to fall off a cliff. I want to have talent in the
kitty so they can grow and get better.”
The Sixers will go into this year’s draft with five picks – no. 24 in the first
round, then nos. 33, 34, 42, and 54 in the second round. Only the Atlanta Hawks
have as many selections overall.
As for the type of prospects the Sixers might target with their sizable stash,
the past few weeks have offered some clues.
Seeking a Specific Profile
Regardless of which slot we’re referring to, the Sixers seem to have a pretty
good idea about what type of player (s) they’re for in Thursday’s draft –
someone who, as Elton Brand put it, can compete for a spot in the top-8 “right
now.”
“We’re going to be focused on guys who can complement the core we have,” Senior
Director of Scouting Vince Rozman said a few weeks ago. “From a profile
standpoint, that’s somebody who can stretch the floor but also can come in and
bring a defensive mindset, play hard, have a maturity about them that they can
fit with our group, know their role, and know what we need them to do right
away.”
“Maturity,” however, doesn’t necessarily mean “old,” said Rozman. “Definitely a
player with maybe more of a mature game than a quote ‘project,’ but I don’t know
if that’s necessarily drive by age.”
Fact Finding
Draft night, of course, represents the culmination of months of preparation, a
period during which front offices and scouts conduct plenty of background
research on prospects.
The Sixers have definitely done their homework.
As Elton Brand said (perhaps not so) tongue-in-cheek the other day, “We talk to
people who pick up in. Not only the component here on the floor, but also
sitting with them and talking with them in an interview setting.”
Coincidence or not, that seemed to be the case last year. The three players the
Sixers acquired on draft night – Zhaire Smith, Landry Shamet, and Shake Milton –
were all brought in for pre-draft workouts.
“It can definitely make a difference,” Eversley said.
All in all, the Sixers held 11 pre-draft workout sessions over the last month
and a half.
Making the Rounds
For the first time since 2012, an NBA Draft could pass by without the Sixers
making a lottery pick.
In some ways, the change in dynamic streamlined the way the team has tiered
prospects on its big board.
“It’s actually helpful,” said Vince Rozman. “Mostly you know this is our pocket
in the draft, nos. 24 through 54, and we can kind of hone in there.”
The Sixers also adapt their approach by the round.
“When you’re picking in the second round, you’re probably picking for a need as
opposed to best player available,” Marc Eversley said. “With respect to a
certain position, it’s certainly something we’ll look at.”
On the Clock
While the NBA Combine and team-hosted prospect workouts are the most
public-facing mileposts along the path to the draft, staffers exhaust countless
hours behind the scenes for almost a year to get the Sixers ready for the big
night.
“At some point, you just have to kind of clear your mind, regroup, and really
get a plan of attack going into Thursday,” said Vince Rozman. “I think largely
we’ve learned as much as we can learn for the most part.”
As a result, the Sixers eased up on hosting workouts the past few days, and
instead zeroed in on their draft board. The front office is confident about the
due diligence it’s done.
“It’s been really good,” Rozman said, when asked about the sample size of
players the Sixers have gotten eyes on. “Plus, you’ve got to roll that in
together with all the agent workouts we went out and asaw on the road. I think
we saw a full sampling of anybody we’re going to consider in the draft. Here,
you get a mix of guys we’re considering, guys who could end up in the G League.
You just see a bunch of guys, it’s helpful.”
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