[The8thDeadlySinParticipant]

Lets take a look back at the 2010 draft from the 76ers point of view.

At the time, John Wall was the best player in the draft and the obvious number 1 pick.  So the 6ers had no shot at Wall.  However, after Wall, Turner was probably the best player but he wasnt leaps and bounds above the competition. Also, Turner played the 1 position that he 76ers were very strong at, at the time.  Not to mention, his play style was exactly like Iggy’s.  He seems like the worst fit for the team. 

This is not a nock on Turner as a player, because I think he is a very good player, however, he is not a good fit with the 76ers.  When you look at what they could have had, and missed out on, it makes their drafting of Turner to look bad. 

This team has had a clear need for quite some time now.  They need a big man. It doenst matter if he is a defender or a scorer, but they need a big.. They do now and they did at the time. Lets take a look at who they missed out on. 

– Derrick Favors: At the time, he could have been the number 2 pick and nobody would have said anything about it.  After being traded and put behind Milsap and Jefferson, he looked to be a below average player.  I even have had my bad thoughts about him as a player. However, I do think, that after watching him in the playoffs, he will be a solid starter one day and could even develop into an All-Star on the right team.  He would have been a great fit for the 6ers because he can defend and rebound.  He would have been playing alot of center but he has the ability to do it just fine.  By this point, he could have already become a starter or at the very least a huge player off the bench behind Brand and Hawes.  Pretty big miss for the 6ers.

– DeMarcus Cousins: Its looking like Cousins is going to be a dominate big man in the league one day.  He can score, rebound, and even defend a little bit.  He had character issues coming out of college and unfortunatly, they are still following him.  He is very expressive and seems to be a bit inmature.  That being said, the guy is a stud.  He can play center and power forward.  By this point, he may have established himself as the first or second option for the 76ers and with a mentor like Brand, he could have calmed down.  Huge miss for the 76ers.

– Ekpe Udoh: He has been a starter and a bench player but regardless of his role, he has always been a great defender.  He could have helped the 76ers with some rim protection and rebounding while spelling Brand and Hawes.  I dont think he would have been a starter at his point but he would have provided a toughness in the paint that the team lacks. Miss..

– Greg Monroe: Cousins is the outspoken big and Monroe is the quite one.  That doenst mean that he isnt just as good.  He is super versatile and is a great passer from the post.  He plays a very smooth game and seems like a leader on the floor. A great rebounder and deceptive scorer from the block and foul line.  Would have been the starter for the 76ers and would have been the player that makes them the best out of this class. Huge miss…

Now I know that taking some of these guys at 2 would have never happened but the 76ers knew that they didnt need Turner and he wasnt a great fit.  Well now, 2 years later, the same thing is true.. They dont need him and he isnt a great fit..

Looking back is always easy but trading down for a post player was thier best option.  Imagine if they had traded with the Pistons for Monroe.  Pistons would have taken Turner and he would have been a PG on that squad.  The Nets could have taken him and he could be starting beside Harris at the 2 in NJ.. The Warriors could have taken him and a Steph/Turner combo would have been amazing..

The 76ers made a bad call on this pick and it is showing in the playoffs..

[ChewyParticipant]

helped the team be average for almost a decade after AI’s departure. They could have been really really bad without him. (Their whole team consisted of defensive role players that suited AI’s game and were terrible without him) With that being said I think they should move him and build around their youth (Williams, Turner, Hawes, Holiday).

Williams and Hawes are free agents and could use Iggy’s money to keep them. Get a role playing defensive 3 man and maybe a top talent PF.

If you trade Iggy for a draft pick you will have money for resignings and get Drummond/ Robinson (unlikely) or a Mouiltre/ Sullinger (more likely) in the draft.

I think this would keep the 76ers competing for years.

[Ghost01Participant]

 I really agree with you here. Favors would have worked, but Cousins was the pick they missed out on. Cousins and Monroe are the two most likely to be good big men from this class, but Monroe would have been a stretch at 2. Turner is nice, but he isn’t anything amazing, and they already have wing players with his skill set. 

[apb540Participant]

Let’s right our mistake by putting together a package to acquire one of those big men.   

[Tongue-Out-Like-23Participant]

I had the 76ers picking up Favors in that draft.  I always thought the athleticism and combination of Holiday-Iguodala-Young-Favors was too good to pass up.

[omphalosParticipant]

Yeah I didn’t really understand what made Turner a lock for the second overall pick, and passing on Cousins was madness. Turner is a decent player, but he really doesn’t have the upside you’d expect from a #2 pick, and as has been mentioned, didn’t fit a team need with the Sixers.

[rwd5035Participant]

I think it’s a bit strong to say "The 76ers made a bad call on this pick…." when he’s only in his 2nd year, and Doug Collins doesn’t give significant minutes to rookies. The Bulls are also an excellent defensive team, so him struggling in the last two games can happen. Turner needs more game time, and I think in stretches he shows his talent. However, he’s not been consistent enough, which happens to young players.

Favors or Cousins would probably have been a better pick since it fit a need, but I think Turner will be a very good pro. Next season I expect him to take a leap and have a very good season.

[PulseGlazerParticipant]

Doesn’t everyone freaking out about Favors for him to turn out a beast teach anyone anything about jumping to conclusions about prospects this soon?  If Turner goes for 17-5-5 next year, he’s the right pick.  Philly wanted scoring from the wing to complement Igoudala, but failed to accurrately assess how their games mesh.  It could still work and, for times, certainly has.

[dazeoneParticipant]

I am not a Turner fan although he has gotten better. He was the concensus player of the year and compared to Brandon Roy. They were not getting Wall as well. Favors was looked upon as a project. Cousins (talent wise second best player) was listed as a knucklehead AI part 2….(Mind you he already got one coach fired). they had to pick him. If they would have gotten Wes Johnson who they were high on could have been worse. Darko and Mello part 2. They took a chance on the best player. Nobody knew Greg monroe would be as good as he has been  Udoh is a bum. As for Turner in this playoffs he is one of the few that Chicago can’t defend because he is bigger than both pg’s and has a chip on he shoulders ….the only gamer on the team outside of Lou Will when the lights come on ..Jrue and Spencer have been trying….Thad is too small to brawl…..AI#2 is MIA …Elton B is doing what he can.

[Sewok15Participant]

At the time it was a no brainer to take Turner but hindsight is always 20/20. I would have taken Turner without a doubt and still think he was more of a can’t miss then the rest. Looking back maybe the team would be slightly better off with Cousins or Monroe but I think next year will be a more evident view of what these players will be in their careers.

[r377Participant]

At the time Wall was the clear no 1 and Turner the clear no 2.  There were a couple of little rumours about them taking Favors at the time.

I still like Turner and if he was playing in NJ or Charlotte he would be a 20-5-5 guy and prob would be a bit more advanced now with more playing time than he is getting now…

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