Sixers Draft Prospects

The NBA season is coming to an end soon and again the Sixers will not make the playoffs. While most Sixers fan were not expecting the Sixers to take the next step and have a playoff berth it’s still disappointing. However, with the NBA prospects coming out this year and the draft picks the Sixers could have the team could be a serious contender for one of the top spots in the Eastern Conference next year. With a healthy Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid returning the Sixers will need good parameter defenders and consistent shooters. The Sixers have a very good chance to get a top five pick this year. They can land a top five pick with their own pick or if the Sacramento Kings get a better pick we can swap with them. I will analyze three prospects I think the Sixers should pursue.

The prospect I like the most for the Sixers is Duke’s Jayson Tatum. While Jayson Tatum has not declared for the draft yet it is highly likely that he will declare and he is drafted in the top 5. Tatum is a explosive but smooth offensive wing that has highly developed offense skills. He can post up smaller defenders but also face up and go right by bigger ones. His ball handling skills need improvement but he wouldn’t be the primary ball handler for the Sixers. The biggest thing he will need to do is add on muscle. Being 19 years old, his body isn’t fully developed yet, he should emphasize on that this off season.

If Jayson Tatum is not on the board when the Sixers pick in the draft they should select Malik Monk from Kentucky. Malik Monk is a lethal shooter with a quick release and good form. Some of his critics will be quick to put out his shooting is too streaky and not consistent enough but from what I’ve seen he shows up in big games and can hit big shots in clutch situations. Another concern people are quick to point out is his lack of height. However, with his quick release this shouldn’t be a problem at the next level. All he would need to do for the Sixers is be a catch a shoot kind of player.

A nice third option if the first two prospects on not on the board when the Sixers pick is Malik Monk’s backcourt partner De’ Aaron Fox. He is an incredibly quick and athletic  guard that can be a true floor general. Prior to the NCAA tournament I had not given Fox much consideration for a top 5 but after a solid tournament performance he caught my attention. His notable performance was against Lonzo Ball and the UCLA Bruins. He led his team in scoring and made plays all night on the court and also played lock down defense on one of the country’s best players Lonzo Ball. While I think he will have to come off the bench if he comes to the Sixers, he will be a great point guard behind Ben Simmons.

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