Ranking the Sixers’ Top Draft Acquisitions Over the Past Decade
Over the past decade (since 2005), the Sixers have had plenty of first round selections and draft night trades. Some have been successful, others have not. Here is my list of the top ten first round draft night acquisitions in the last ten years for the Sixers’ organization.
*NOTE: These are only players who the Sixers either drafted in the first round or traded for (the person they traded for had to be drafted in the first round as well) on draft night. Also, the players had to have played at least one season with the team and that must have been their first in the NBA for them to be listed.*
1) Thaddeus Young
Thad Young played the most with the Sixers of everyone on this list. In six of his seven seasons here, he averaged double figures. In all of his years he shot above 45% from the field, four of them above 50%. He helped lead the Sixers to four playoffs. Although Thad was no superstar, he was a fantastic piece and role player for this team for many years. His production can’t be denied either, including three seasons averaging more than 14 points per game and six with more than 5 rebounds per game. His contributions for so many years cannot go unrecognized, making him the best player drafted/traded for on draft night for the Sixers in the past decade.
2) Jrue Holiday
Jrue Holiday was supposed to be the next star of the Sixers’ franchise, until Sam Hinkie dealt him on the 2013 draft night. In his four seasons with the Philadelphia team, he helped lead them to two playoffs, where he always thrived. Despite his strong second season in the NBA (14 points per game, 6.5 assists, 45% from the field), he really emerged in the next year’s playoff run. Even though he didn’t have a fantastic regular season, he proved himself to be a real force in that 2011-12 postseason. In 13 games, he averaged 16 points, including three games with more than 20 points and only one with less than 10. The next season he proved the postseason to be no fluke, averaging 18 points per game and 8 assists. This earned him a trip to the All Star game, a testament to the budding star he was becoming. But Holiday was dealt in the offseason and his Sixers run ended. Despite his lack of seasons with the team, the man from UCLA was one of the most productive and effective Sixers in the past ten years.
3) Evan Turner
The Ohio State alumni had high expectations coming into the pros. As the second overall draft choice, the Sixers were expecting Turner to be their next next superstar. He wasn’t a star by any means, only averaging more than 15 points in one of his four seasons here. However, even though he wasn’t as good as one would have hoped, he was more than serviceable. He averaged north of 7 points in all of his seasons, including one where he put up 17 points per outing. He was also a big part of two playoff teams, including 2011-12, when the Sixers lost in the second round in seven games to the Celtics. Turner was a fantastic role player in his time with Philly.
4) Michael Carter-Williams
In a mere year and a half, MCW had one of the most successful stints of any Sixer in the past decade. Despite logging many double-doubles and winning the Rookie of the Year award, the young man couldn’t bring wins to the team. By the end of his time here, many rumors had surfaced about him being a bad presence in the locker room. Regardless, MCW was successful in his time in Philly, it was just too short for him to earn a higher ranking.
5) Nerlens Noel
MCW’s old sparring partner filled his shoes in a pretty remarkable manner. After the All Star break, Noel looked like a blooming star. He averaged a solid 13 points per game, to go with 10 boards and 2 blocks. His presence around the rim defensively was undeniable from the start, but by the end of the season, we saw a player who looked like he could hold his end on the offensive end as well. With big man Jahlil Okafor now in the mix, who should draw plenty of double teams, look for Noel to progress even more. However, he still has a lot to prove, landing him in the middle of the list.
6) Marreese Speights
Drafted 16th overall by the Sixers in the 2008 draft, Speights showed spurts of greatness in his time with the team.
But it just never panned out. In three seasons with the team, he occasionally showed a real ability to score as a big man in the NBA. At other times, we would see him in the dog house. He was on two playoff teams in his three seasons, but didn’t see the floor much in those stretches. He averaged a personal high in a Sixers uniform of 8.6 points per game and 4.1 rebounds during the 2009-2010 season.
7) Rodney Carney
The man out of Memphis had a lot of potential riding on his back coming into the league, after an All-American season at Memphis. At six-foot-seven and stunning athleticism, people had high expectations for the young man. But he never panned out in his time with Philly, never averaging more than 20 minutes per game and 7 points.
8) Nikola Vucevic
Vucevic always had the potential and we saw that evident at multiple points during his one season with the 76ers. He had 18 points, 8 rebounds, and 3 blocks against Houston on February 22nd and then 14 points and 13 rebounds against Boston on April 8th. Those are just two examples of some of the potential he flashed during his time here. But he often found himself in the dog house with head coach Doug Collins. In the playoffs, he played only one game. He was subsequently dealt, where he is now flourishing in Orlando. His lack of time in Philly and production has earned him a spot at the bottom of this list.
9) Jason Smith
In his two years with Philly, the big man was ineffective. Initially drafted by the Heat, but traded to the Sixers, Smith just couldn’t find consistent minutes. The seven-footer averaged 4.5 points per game in his first season in 14 minutes of play, but then was injured during his second year with the club. His third season was a downgrade (3.4 PPG and 2.4 RPG) and the front office decided to part ways with him.
10) Arnett Moultrie
Moultrie was more than underwhelming in his time with the Sixers. The six-foot-ten forward from Mississippi State saw himself log many DNPs and multiple D-League stints. Never making a mark on a squad without a lot of talent was not a good sign. In addition to violating the NBA’s anti-drug policy, he played a mere 59 games with the Sixers over two season, earning himself a spot at the bottom of the list.
First photo courtesy of gospelherald.com
Second photo courtesy of celebritydui.com
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