[SlickBouncePassParticipant]

 Its amazing as a Philly fan how removed I feel this year from college scouting.  Wiggins/Parker, Okafor/Towns/Russell, Simmons/Ingram, and Fultz/Ball/Jackson are a thing of the past.

But Philly still has the Lakers pick at either #1 or 7 and beyond.  

Its early but from what I’ve seen Philly is a playoff team in the weak East, likely out of hte lottery.  Advice to fans of tankers, sure it all comes down to ping pong balls but you get through the NBA season by inspecting the standings daily, and seeing where your team ranks.  Nothing was more exciting than watching the Lakers fall out of the top 3 in the last week of the season last year, only to succeed in the lottery and end up with the 2nd pick.  Good for them.

So where do the Lakers stand?  They look decent, beating teams they are supposed to beat, with wins over the Suns, Pistons, Nets, and surprising you at times with wins over teams like the Wizards.  Its early, but here is where I see these teams, from worst:

Atlanta, Chicago, Brooklyn, Dallas, Sacramento, and Pheonix.  The Lakers are better than all of the above, putting them at 7 right now.  Which means the pick would transfer to Philly, and Philly would have a legitimate shot at Collin Sexton or Lonnie Walker.  

I could see The Pelicans, Denver, and Orlando also possibly finishign below the Lakers, but it seems likely the pick will transfer to Philly this year (about damn time).  The best part about this is you don’t see the Lakers pick transferring to Boston this year, meaning hopefully, Boston doesn’t have a shot at one of the big men like an Ayton or Bamba or Bagley.

The Kings are a pretty awful 1-7 right now.  If the pick from Philly to Boston doesn’t transfer this year then the Lakers will get Sacramento’s pick unprotected, which could very well be a top 3 pick in next years draft, the Zion, RJ Barrett, Romeo Langford draft.  Of those, I would be very intrigued by RJ Barrett or Langford as fits for the Sixers.

If you’re a Philly fan, or a Boston fan, which pick do you prefer to keep?  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[EndlessknightParticipant]

Would rather have the Lakers pick at say 6th or 7th. Hopefully that along withe Sixers own pick would be enough to trade up for Doncic.

[220Participant]

 The Sixers will probably be better off keeping the Lakers pick because the Kings seem to be getting their act together so unless the Kings have massive lottery luck the Lakers pick this year will be better than the Kings pick in two years. The season is early though and things could certainly change.

[HitsterParticipant]

 Until we know the draft lottery results a pick’s value cannot really be decided.

The Kings have a lot of younger players and Dave Joerger seems to be shuffling his pack, they will likely be a high lottery team this year but could they have a big bounce next year who knows. If we assume that Lakers pick was say 7th or 8th this year, I’d be happy with that as opposed to waiting another nearly two seasons to see what Kings do.

There will be lots of good players in that range and Philly would probably like to get the roster rounded off rather than wait another year if we assume Philly will improve in their own right this year and be late lottery or possibly even play offs. Philly would also probably be looking for a more complimentary type player – sure if they luck on top pick they take him. But with Embeast, Simmons and Fultz in place they may be looking for depth or possibly a shooter who can be 6th man going forward.

 

 

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 Philly is essentially a Big Two but in the way that the Lakers were a big two with Magic and Kareem.  

I like Covington in a complementary role, whether he is the official fifth guy, 4th wheel, or glorified 3rd option.

Fultz is a piece.  Just not sure where.  I like Simmons with the ball. And the keys.  Bring Fultz off the bench as a super sub.  If Eric Gordon can be a 6th man then so can Markelle Fultz.  Saric is a guy.  Off the bench?  Probably a 7th or 8th man at worst so bring him off the bench too, and shore up your bench mob.  

With JJ Reddick as the obligatory veteran deep threat, I kinda like going with Miles Bridges in the draft.  

Bridges might not have super "upside" but outside the top 5, I like his potential.

Could be a guy that gets you 14-15 points and 7-8 rebounds right out of the gate.  He’s a guy that not only puts up stats but also has a high motor.  An intense guy who should be NBA ready by opening night.

So you have the Simmons/Embiid Unicorn Pick and Roll with Covington and Bridges as your new big four.  Play Covington at either forward spot (or at the 2).  Play Bridges at either forward spot or let him bring the ball down the court.  With those four and JJ Reddick hopefully resigned on a smart-money deal, that is your starting five with plenty of size, length, talent, floor spacing, and fire power.  Then you have a top-heavy second unit led by Fultz and Saric (as well as — possibly — TJ McConnell.  Amir Johnson should fit in, too).  AT WORST, you have Reddick getting 10-12 per night as a starter, Covington getting 10-12 a night as a starter, then a generic 4 man like a Tarik Black who can get you 6 points and five boards a night.  THEN, you have a super-nice second shift of TJ McConnell, Markelle Fultz, Miles Bridges, Dario Saric, and Amir Johnson.  Ok, ok, I want that bench no matter what.  

Yeah, I think Miles Bridges is the guy for the Sixers, hands down.  Fits in (ideally) as a 3rd option behind Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid.  Or, at worst, he is a bench guy on a LOADED second unit.  If Bridges is your backup high-motor stat-stuffer, then you go out and sign a Moneyball power forward who is a solid two-way, athletic 4 who can give you 8 and 6 a night.  

Ok, I kinda like Johnathan Williams as a second rounder.  At best, a solid 3 and D stretch four who might be a bit undersized at 6’8 but maybe that is all you need on a first team that would be super long and athletic.  

Looking ahead to the backup center spot, Tacko Fall would be the "upside" guy a monsterously long 7’6 bean pole who can also dunk basically flat footed.  I also like Tim Welsh as a backup backup center type.  At worst, he is 7’1 dude who can catch a pass.  

If the Sixers wanna trade for a young, run-jump athlete at the 4 who is gettable maybe they should make the Grizzlies an offer for Jarell Martin.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[HitsterParticipant]

 Miles Bridges would be a sound pick but he’d be fighting for minutes behind Covington and Saric. But I like the idea of them taking a more NBA ready guy who is ready to run with the young core.

So much will depend on where they finish, if Lakers pick comers over and where that comes over at as it could give them trade up opportunities potentially or if they are double headed in the draft they can address two needs in one draft.

In many ways if Doncic was available at 5 and Philly could do a deal to move up and get him, I think he’d be the best fit for them. Able to play SG or SF, a good ball handler, not the quickest guy but Fultz etc could cover for him and Doncic has good defensive fundamentals so could make up for lack of speed with his basketball IQ.

 

 

[SlickBouncePassParticipant]

The draft is 5 deep in tier 1.  After that if Philly gets 6 or 7 I like Sexton.

I think it’ll be hard to trade in the top 5.  All of those bottom teams are now tanking, I doubt they accept a trade unless you include another piece like Saric.  

 

 

 

  

[OhCanada-Participant]

 I feel like the draft will have 8 very good prospects. 

[HitsterParticipant]

 I think there is a bit of a fall off after Doncic but there is a long way to go. Every team has different needs so someone like Sexton who if in last year’s class may have been 5th/6th best PG is likely to be top PG in 2018 draft class.

What do people think of Lonnie Walker being based in UK, I haven’t seen much of him and he has just returned from injury but could be best specialst SG in his year.

  

 

 

[Memphis MadnessParticipant]

 What Lakers pick goes to Philly?  That thing could go to 3 different teams right?

Hopefully by the end of the year, the Sixers know EXACTLY what they have in Fultz and where he fits in.  Then it will be easier for them to pick.  You have a big 3 with Covington and then Saric as another option.  

In that case, since you have some guys who can play multiple positions, you go BPA.

 

 

 

 

[EndlessknightParticipant]

The pick can only go to the Sixers or the Celtics. It goes to Boston if its 2-5, all other possibilities means it goes to Philly.

[HitsterParticipant]

 Lakers pick was sent to Phoenix in Nash deal, when Phoenix did a 3 team deal with Philly and Bucks, the pick went to Philly, who then in the Fultz deal included if it finished 2-5 in 2018 it goes to Boston.

I think that is right!

 

[markfitz14Participant]

To many teams that are really bad or just slightly tanking this year for the pick to be top 5. But I will still hope those ping pong balls fall for Boston just a couple spots up. There si still that lottery Hope lol. That would be amazing to see a big next year to work under Horford for a couple years.

[The GoatParticipant]

 Two more lottery picks plus the return of Fultz puts Philly in a good position asset wise. But, they already have Simmons, Embiid, Saric, Redick and Covington who all need to be in the rotation. Where do you play all these guys? The lottery picks will have the view to start, like Noel and Okafor did. 

After those 8, that still leaves Holmes, Amir Johnson, McConnell, Luwawu, Korkmaz and Bayless who could all still play a role for a team. They also still have the rights to Jonah Bolden.

I think Philly need to package next year’s picks and some of the current roster for young vets. Even if Fultz returns and plays like the #1 pick, Simmons is your PG. They really drafted without thinking and burned an asset in giving away that extra pick in my opinion.

I’d be trying to get an over the top package together for someone that would generally be off limits. You are not going to get Kawhi but you need elite shooters or 3 & D players that are young enough to fit the core. I’d be looking firstly at guys like CJ McCullom or Devin Booker.

[Author]

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