2019 NBA Draft Recap: Philadelphia 76ers
After seeing what draft night held in store for Philly, it was clear that there is a ton of mixed emotions amongst the fan base. The entire night almost felt like as a group we waited and waited just to see a pick get traded away.
Yes, Philly made yet another trade with Boston that sent the fans into a frenzy on all social media platforms. Yes, the Sixers ended up only drafting 2 players for their roster after all the proposed trades and switching of picks. But to say that Elton has no idea what he is doing is a complete overreaction.
Understanding the Sixers’ Picks
Matisse Thybulle left pre-draft workouts extremely early with the belief that a team promised to take him. A lot of speculation makes it seem as if Philly was that team to do so. If that was the case then Cam Johnson being taken so early by the Suns really hurt Philly’s chances to land Thybulle with no trades. Boston knew that it was down to Johnson and Thybulle for the Sixers and when Johnson was drafted in the lottery, they knew they could hold this pick for ransom.
The Sixers swapped first round picks and gave up the 33rd overall pick. That 33rd pick eventually led to Boston drafting Carsen Edwards. Everybody knew that Philly would pay the price for getting the guy they wanted but when breaking down Thybulle’s game, it was worth every penny.
Thybulle led the nation in steals, logging 3.5 per game. Matisse also averaged over 2 blocks per game which is huge because he is an instant upgrade on the defensive end for Philadelphia. Although his 3PT% dropped last season, for his career he averaged 35.8% from 3 which is not terrible by any means. Thybulle has tremendous upside and if anybody watches film or watched him play, they would fall in love with him instantly. He was graded out as the top defender in the draft and being able to pair him with Embiid, Ben, and possibly Jimmy Butler, this team just had a massive upgrade on the defensive end.
Pick Grade: A-
The next player the Sixers selected was Marial Shayok. Shayok flew under the radar for pre-draft workouts and on draft night, but for people that have no idea who he is, Shayok is also a very skilled defender who developed an offensive skill set while playing his final season for the Iowa State Cyclones. Shayok played 3 years at Virginia playing under Tony Bennett who is known for being a top defense in the country. From there Shayok developed his defensive skills, then after he transferred to the Cyclones, he averaged 18.7 points per game.
Many people are unhappy with this selection just because he is not a big name second rounder like Eric Paschall, Bol Bol, or Bruno Fernando, but this man can provide exactly what the Sixers need. No, Shayok is not going to shock you with his scoring ability or defense, but he will be able to hold his own if he is given a spot in the rotation at any point throughout the season.
Watching Shayok throughout the Big 12 and NCAA tournaments, it is understood that no, he will not be a superstar in the league, but he will be able to fill some holes regarding depth, bench scoring, and second unit defense that the Sixers desperately needed.
Pick Grade: C+
Many fans were upset that the team only left with 2 players, but trading the 42nd pick to dump off Jonathan Simmons’ contract was a must. That pick resulted in drafting Admiral Schofield who will end up with the Washington Wizards. Another move that was made was the team traded away the 34th pick to Atlanta for the 57th and 2 future picks. It is understandable for fans to be upset about the fact that the team entered the night with the 33rd, 34th, and 42nd pick and ended up trading every single pick away, but to think that Elton blindly did all this is absurd.
Elton also traded picks away for cash. He is penny pinching at the most crucial time with free agency right around the corner. In his post-draft press conference, for those who watched, it seemed as though Elton still has some tricks up his sleeve with the way he was answering with such confidence.
There is a huge risk in saving these roster spots for veteran players. He is creating cap any way possible but at the risk of being open to players not signing with them can end in a complete disaster. It seemed as though last night Elton and the FO (Front Office) had a firm belief that they can resign not only Jimmy, but Tobias as well, and if not they had a sure thing as a backup plan.
Of course, it is completely understandable to lose hope when your team has a terrible track record over the last several years on draft night with the exception of 2 players, but Elton understands his window for winning and understands what is at stake. With that being said, Brand has already received the green light from the executives in doing whatever he can to retain our free agents, then to sign whoever else fits the role.
By filling the roster slots with experienced veterans so they can sign for rather cheap along with using their 2 max slots, Elton is potentially setting this team up for a huge win now situation which can put the Sixers over the hump.
On June 30th at 6PM when free agency officially begins, Brand will have the opportunity to finally show his hand and help Sixers’ fans understand what he did on what was one truly, risky, draft night.
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