Simmons Visit SoughtSince analysts first began formulating their mock drafts earlier in the year, LSU forward Ben Simmons and Duke swingman Brandon Ingram have almost universally been viewed as the top two players coming out of the college circuit. On Monday, the Sixers were able to add Ingram’s name to the list of prospects who have visited the team’s training facility at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. With the draft just days away, the organization is hopeful that it has enough time to meet with Simmons, who, per the latest mocks, has emerged as the favorite to be chosen first on June 23rd.”We’re still working on final information there,” Sixers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo said Monday, referring to Simmons. “The most important part that we have been looking for is the medical information on both [Ingram and Simmons], and I think both players are scheduled to undergo physicals later in the week, and that’s going to be a big part of obviously some of what goes into the final decision.”A two-time NBA Executive of the Year with nearly two decades of front office experience, Colangelo is well-versed in the way the run-up to the draft works, especially when it comes to high-profile talent.”Everybody deals with the draft process differently,” said Colangelo about . “Sometimes agents are involved, sometimes families are involved in those decisions. Everything that we get with respect to our intel as it relates to Ben is he would very much like to be selected number one.”Simmons, who turns 20 years old on July 20th, took home National Freshman of the Year honors and was a First-Team All-American last year after producing 19.2 points, 11.8 rebounds, 4.8 assists, and 2.0 steals per game. His ties to Brett Brown have been well-documented. Simmons’ father, Dave, was a member of the Melbourne Tigers in the late 1980s, early 1990s, when Brown served as an assistant coach for the Australian National Basketball League squad. “We know a lot about Ben Simmons, just like we knew a lot about Brandon Ingram before [Monday’s] event,” said Colangelo, who also held the first pick of the draft in 2006, his first year as president and general manager of the Toronto Raptors. “A workout like this doesn’t make or break a guy’s candidacy, but it certainly helps in the evaluation process. We’re hopeful to get as much information, and as much evaluation as possible. We’re going to keep doing what we’re doing to make the right decision on June 23rd.”Regardless of whether the Sixers connect with Simmons prior to that all-important date. “Sometimes players decide to workout, sometimes they don’t decide to work out,” Colangelo said matter-of-factly. “The most important thing that we’ve talked about is getting the physical information, the medical information. That’s what we’re working on. We’re also working on still arranging a visit, so stay tuned.”Indeed we will. Embiid Making Progress, Summer League Ruled OutWhen the Sixers begin their summer league circuit the first week of July, the plan is that Joel Embiid will begin to further ramp up his rehab. The third overall selection of the 2014 NBA Draft will not, however, appear in any of the exhibition contests slated for his team in either Salt Lake City, or Las Vegas. “I do believe that it’s safe to say he is not going to play summer league basketball,” Sixers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo said Monday. The Sixers will take part in the Utah Jazz Summer League from July 4th through July 7th, and then head to Las Vegas for the Samsung Summer League, which runs from July 8th through the 18th.”It’s the question of the day,” said Colangelo of Embiid’s status, “so let me just put it to rest. He will not play summer league basketball.”That decision doesn’t mean Embiid won’t be busy while the Sixers are out in the desert. In fact, quite the opposite.”What [Embiid] will do is join the team in Las Vegas, be with our coaches, be around that team environment again, which is very important,” said Colangelo. “He’ll do some controlled scrimmaging, some controlled situations, drill work with everybody in Las Vegas.”That type of on-court work would represent a positive step forward for Embiid, given the activities that he’s already started to resume. “He’s done some things competitively with two-on-two, three-on-three controlled situations,” revealed Colangelo, who added that Embiid appears to be “getting more fluidity every day.””The word ‘controlled’ is the key there,” Colangelo said. “I think everything’s got to be done within the timeline set by the doctors.”Determining the date that Embiid will suit up for a five-on-five game is no exception.”When the doctors tell me he’s ready,” said Colangelo, “then I’ll tell you the answer.”Embiid has undergone right foot procedures the past two years that have kept him on the shelf since he decided to go pro following his freshman season at Kansas. Saric Season FinishedOver in Istanbul, Turkey, Dario Saric’s second season in the Turkish Basketball Super League ended Monday. Saric and Anadolu Efes, the team for which he’s played the last two years, fell short in their bid to clinch the franchise’s 14th TBSL title, as they dropped a 91-70 decision to Fenerbache in Game 6 of the championship series. Although Saric managed only four points (1-6 fg) and four rebounds in 22 minutes of action Monday, the forward put up stellar statistics throughout Efes’ playoff run. Dario Saric’s final #’s from Efes’ 11-game TBSL playoff run:PPG-12.6RPG-4.5FG%-51.6(48-93)3FG%-60.7(17-28)FT%-89.7(26-29)AST-10STL-12— Brian Seltzer (@brianseltzer) June 13, 2016 Last week, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Bryan Colangelo and Brett Brown visited Saric in Turkey. “Trip to Europe was great,” Colangelo said Monday. “Had a nice chance to sit and talk to Dario Saric. Got a chance to watch him play in a very competitive playoff game and competitive series.”Originally the 12th overall pick of the 2014 NBA Draft, the Sixers acquired Saric’s rights that night via a trade with the Orlando Magic. Even though Colangelo joined the Sixers just two months ago, he’s long been keeping tabs on Saric, a two-time FIBA European Young Player of the Year. “I saw a much-improved player from what I saw three or four years ago,” said Colangelo. “He’s gotten physically bigger, physically stronger, he runs the floor very well. He does a lot of things. He’s highly skilled with the ball. He’s creating shots for himself with stepback dribbles, cross-over dribbles, etc., and he’s shooting the ball much, much better than what I remember and what I recall from three or four years ago.”Take, for instance, Saric’s perimeter game. His first professional season, in 2011-2012, the Croatian hit 13 of 56 three-point tries, for 23.2 percent. This season, Saric enjoyed a career year from deep, nailing 70 of his 172 attempts from behind the arc, an almost 41.0 percent clip. “At the end of the day, I think that Dario is a much-improved basketball player,” Colangelo said. “I think he’s, at the age of 22, he’s ready to make that jump to playing professional basketball for a while. Coach [Brown] and I both expressed to him, and I think he understands, that this would be a good time for him to come over for a lot of different reasons. Number one, the make-up of our team and the roster right now would lend itself to considerable playing time, or an opportunity to earn that playing time. Can’t necessarily project out what it’s going to look like at this time next year, but this is a good time for him and a good time for us, we feel, for him to make this jump.”From the time he spent in Turkey last week, Colangelo got the impression that Saric was “encouraged” by their talks. “He’s been exposed to a lot,” said Colangelo. “He’s very articulate about the game of basketball. His basketball I.Q. is very high. Just in listening to a conversation he had with Coach Brown, I was very impressed with his overall understanding of even just simple concept of guarding a pick and roll, things that appear simple on paper, but aren’t so simple when talk about all the situations that the form that it can take, But the discussion, the dialogue, it was very impressive, and I know that whenever he does come over, he’s going to be an asset for us. “We’re prepared to do what is necessary on our part to make that happen.”Saric has until July 17th to officially inform Efes management of his decision.
Dario Saric’s final #’s from Efes’ 11-game TBSL playoff run:PPG-12.6RPG-4.5FG%-51.6(48-93)3FG%-60.7(17-28)FT%-89.7(26-29)AST-10STL-12
