Peering Into Billy's Crystal Ball: A Glimpse at the Sixers 2007 Draft Options
Mirror, Mirror, on the wall, who is the Sixer-ist one of all? Right now, all signs point toward Kyle Korver. However, I’m going to go out on a limb here and say that after the NBA Draft in June, we’ll all be lining to sing the praises of...Billy King.
Billy King has never been a hero around this area, but he’s put the 76ers in position to rebuild their franchise by obtaining several 1st round picks for the upcoming draft. Two of the picks were acquired from Denver in the Allen Iverson trade. Most of us probably rolled our eyes and said, “Great. Which Shawn Bradley look-a-like are we going to draft now?” But this upcoming draft has the potential to be the deepest and strongest draft the NBA has seen in a long time.
Here are two scenarios that could awaken a Sixers’ juggernaut which has been asleep since the days of Mo, Moses, and Dr. J.
Scenario 1
We’ll start with the penultimate situation. Greg Oden decides he doesn’t want to return to Ohio State for his sophomore season and the ping pong balls bounce Philly’s way. With the number 1 selection they should take Oden. There is no good reason not to. Everyone is aware of his potential so I’m not going to belabor the point.
With their second pick, the Sixers would currently be looking to select around the 20th slot. There are a few solid options here, but it’s imperative that the Sixers shore up their front court by taking a flyer on Glen “Big Baby” Davis, a player whose personality would be great to have around here. There’s a chance Davis may not be available come that time, so as a backup plan, King should select Nick Fazekas from Nevada because he could give us a big frontcourt teamed with Oden. Both of these players are seasoned, can score some points, and can crash the boards. With either player teamed with Oden, the Sixers front court would be set to dominate for a decade.
With their last pick in the late first round they should look for a two guard. There are two exceptional scorers who could be available here. The first is Morris Almond out of Rice. Currently he’s putting up over 31 points per game while shooting at a over 47% from beyond the arc. The second guy is Jack McClinton from Miami. This guy is built like a rock and is known for being a gym rat. He’s also scoring close to 19 points a game and shooting over 49% from downtown.
Finally, in the second round, they need to select a young point guard to learn from and replace Andre Miller for the future. In this scenario, it would great to select Mike Conley from Ohio State. He’s Oden’s best friend and it would be great to keep them united in the pros and allow them to grow together. If Conley does not come out, another excellent option is Acie Law IV from Texas A&M. He’s a solid player, good kid, and a seasoned floor general.
Scenario 2
In this case, we’ll assume that Greg Oden does not come out and the Sixers end up with the #1 selection. There are three outstanding options for the Sixers. The one I like the most is Chase Budinger from Arizona. This guy is getting rave reviews from everyone who watches him play (even Michael Jordan loves him). He’s got great size and skill for a 2 guard - he’s the reason we use terms like “uber-talented.” The first alternate would be Brandan Wright from North Carolina. He’s a solid 6’9” power forward with a fantastic NBA body. He’s got great length and an incredible wingspan. He is a difference maker on the defensive end, which is something the 76ers sorely lack. The last option is Kevin Durant. I know a lot of people love this guy and his skill set, but I don’t believe he’s a great fit for the Sixers. He’s too big to play the two, and Iguodola is set at our small forward position. Durant has the height to be a 4, but not the bulk. He’s a phenomenal talent, but let some other team figure out where he should play.
With the second selection, they should still focus on a big man to bolster the front court. One guy who I can see slipping is Spencer Hawes from Washington. He’s not flashy, but he’s a solid, old-school player who scores, rebounds, and plays defense. Fazekas and Davis are also still options at this spot. Fazekas is big enough to play center should Wright be taken to fill the power forward spot.
With the last pick in the first round, it depends on who the Sixers take with the first pick. If they take Wright, they should take McClinton or Almond. If they select Budinger early, they should target more front court help at this spot. This could be done by taking Roy Hibbert (C) from Georgetown or Jason Smith (PF) from Colorado State.
In the second round, they need to get some backcourt support. Acie Law IV again fits here. Another possible selection would be Chris Lofton from Tennessee. Lofton is a talented shooter who can also occasionally play the point position as well. He’d be a great fit for Mo Cheeks.
One More Thing
There are a few players the Sixers would be wise to stay away from. First, they would be smart to pretend that Florida has no players available in the draft. Noah is a bit of a cry baby. Horford doesn’t have the star power to support where he will be drafted and Brewer won’t be so good if he’s the #1 or 2 guy on his team. He needs some protection around him. Second, stay away from Josh McRoberts. There is a very simple reason for this: he is a Duke big man. We don’t need a Christian Laettner or Cherokee Parks retread. Finally: avoid Tyler Hansborough. This guy falls into the same category as McRoberts. They are both going to have very good college careers, but they are not guys who translate well into the pro game. If you can get them in the second round, think about doing so. But don’t use a first round pick on either.
There’s a lot that can happen between now and June, but at this point there is nothing that can cloud this crystal ball. We’ll check back in with Billy and his mirror at the end of June and see if he really is the Sixer-ist one of all.
Billy King has never been a hero around this area, but he’s put the 76ers in position to rebuild their franchise by obtaining several 1st round picks for the upcoming draft. Two of the picks were acquired from Denver in the Allen Iverson trade. Most of us probably rolled our eyes and said, “Great. Which Shawn Bradley look-a-like are we going to draft now?” But this upcoming draft has the potential to be the deepest and strongest draft the NBA has seen in a long time.
Here are two scenarios that could awaken a Sixers’ juggernaut which has been asleep since the days of Mo, Moses, and Dr. J.
Scenario 1
We’ll start with the penultimate situation. Greg Oden decides he doesn’t want to return to Ohio State for his sophomore season and the ping pong balls bounce Philly’s way. With the number 1 selection they should take Oden. There is no good reason not to. Everyone is aware of his potential so I’m not going to belabor the point.
With their second pick, the Sixers would currently be looking to select around the 20th slot. There are a few solid options here, but it’s imperative that the Sixers shore up their front court by taking a flyer on Glen “Big Baby” Davis, a player whose personality would be great to have around here. There’s a chance Davis may not be available come that time, so as a backup plan, King should select Nick Fazekas from Nevada because he could give us a big frontcourt teamed with Oden. Both of these players are seasoned, can score some points, and can crash the boards. With either player teamed with Oden, the Sixers front court would be set to dominate for a decade.
With their last pick in the late first round they should look for a two guard. There are two exceptional scorers who could be available here. The first is Morris Almond out of Rice. Currently he’s putting up over 31 points per game while shooting at a over 47% from beyond the arc. The second guy is Jack McClinton from Miami. This guy is built like a rock and is known for being a gym rat. He’s also scoring close to 19 points a game and shooting over 49% from downtown.
Finally, in the second round, they need to select a young point guard to learn from and replace Andre Miller for the future. In this scenario, it would great to select Mike Conley from Ohio State. He’s Oden’s best friend and it would be great to keep them united in the pros and allow them to grow together. If Conley does not come out, another excellent option is Acie Law IV from Texas A&M. He’s a solid player, good kid, and a seasoned floor general.
Scenario 2
In this case, we’ll assume that Greg Oden does not come out and the Sixers end up with the #1 selection. There are three outstanding options for the Sixers. The one I like the most is Chase Budinger from Arizona. This guy is getting rave reviews from everyone who watches him play (even Michael Jordan loves him). He’s got great size and skill for a 2 guard - he’s the reason we use terms like “uber-talented.” The first alternate would be Brandan Wright from North Carolina. He’s a solid 6’9” power forward with a fantastic NBA body. He’s got great length and an incredible wingspan. He is a difference maker on the defensive end, which is something the 76ers sorely lack. The last option is Kevin Durant. I know a lot of people love this guy and his skill set, but I don’t believe he’s a great fit for the Sixers. He’s too big to play the two, and Iguodola is set at our small forward position. Durant has the height to be a 4, but not the bulk. He’s a phenomenal talent, but let some other team figure out where he should play.
With the second selection, they should still focus on a big man to bolster the front court. One guy who I can see slipping is Spencer Hawes from Washington. He’s not flashy, but he’s a solid, old-school player who scores, rebounds, and plays defense. Fazekas and Davis are also still options at this spot. Fazekas is big enough to play center should Wright be taken to fill the power forward spot.
With the last pick in the first round, it depends on who the Sixers take with the first pick. If they take Wright, they should take McClinton or Almond. If they select Budinger early, they should target more front court help at this spot. This could be done by taking Roy Hibbert (C) from Georgetown or Jason Smith (PF) from Colorado State.
In the second round, they need to get some backcourt support. Acie Law IV again fits here. Another possible selection would be Chris Lofton from Tennessee. Lofton is a talented shooter who can also occasionally play the point position as well. He’d be a great fit for Mo Cheeks.
One More Thing
There are a few players the Sixers would be wise to stay away from. First, they would be smart to pretend that Florida has no players available in the draft. Noah is a bit of a cry baby. Horford doesn’t have the star power to support where he will be drafted and Brewer won’t be so good if he’s the #1 or 2 guy on his team. He needs some protection around him. Second, stay away from Josh McRoberts. There is a very simple reason for this: he is a Duke big man. We don’t need a Christian Laettner or Cherokee Parks retread. Finally: avoid Tyler Hansborough. This guy falls into the same category as McRoberts. They are both going to have very good college careers, but they are not guys who translate well into the pro game. If you can get them in the second round, think about doing so. But don’t use a first round pick on either.
There’s a lot that can happen between now and June, but at this point there is nothing that can cloud this crystal ball. We’ll check back in with Billy and his mirror at the end of June and see if he really is the Sixer-ist one of all.
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