Over the next few months leading up to the 2018 NBA draft, we'll start to dive into each team likely selecting in the lottery, taking into account projected picks, team needs and potential options to fill those holes. First up, the Philadelphia 76ers.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding 2017 No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz, the Sixers are one of the top young teams in the NBA, featuring a blend of current stars, future assets and six picks to play with in the draft.
How does Fultz affect their plans, what do they need and what will they do if they win No. 1?
Projected 2018 picks
No. 10: Mikal Bridges | F
No. 22: Aaron Holiday | G
No. 34: Jalen Hudson | G
No. 39: Jevon Carter | G
No. 51: Arnoldas Kulboka | F
No. 59: Maximo Fjellerup | F
Projected 2018-19 depth chart
SG: Markelle Fultz, Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, Jerryd Bayless, Furkan Korkmaz
PF: Dario Saric, Jonah Bolden
Options at No. 1
Although BPI currently has the Sixers' chances of landing the No. 1 pick via the Los Angeles Lakers at 1.2 percent, the question is still worth exploring. Whether due to a potential Lakers collapse or the lottery balls bouncing in their favor, it would be interesting to see which direction the Sixers would turn if they indeed held the top pick for the second straight year.
On one hand, Deandre Ayton is a physical marvel with star potential. He's the type of prospect a general manager won't get fired for drafting given his tremendous physical profile and production. Still, could Ayton play next to Embiid? How would the lively Trust the Process spokesman feel about another big-personality center coming into town -- one who's in a fairly similar mold to Embiid? Conventional wisdom says you draft the best prospect and figure it out, especially when at No. 1. As Celtics executive Austin Ainge put it at the MIT Sloan Sports Analytics Conference in Boston over the weekend, "Need is a bad evaluator." That's certainly the mentality I subscribe to.
The Sixers wouldn't be your typical team drafting No. 1 overall, though. They already have a playoff roster featuring youth and established stars, and Luka Doncic could actually be their missing piece. The Sixers could use additional shooting and playmaking on the perimeter, and you could argue that Doncic is the most NBA-ready player in the entire draft. With Simmons, Embiid, Fultz and Doncic all on the floor together, the Sixers would have one of the best passing teams in the NBA, and three players who can push in transition or play pick-and-roll. The Sixers also have the personnel to hide some of Doncic's defensive concerns.
Given how unlikely it is that the Sixers get the first pick, we won't get into how Marvin Bagley, Mohamed Bamba, or Jaren Jackson Jr. would fit, but it's certainly entertaining to imagine a starting lineup of Simmons, Fultz, Doncic, Covington/Saric and Embiid.
Likely offseason needs
Two-way shooter
Adding a 3-and-D style off guard to fit in between Simmons and Fultz is an important role for the Sixers to fill come June. Simmons needs shooting around him at virtually every position, and since he, Fultz and Embiid initiate most of the offense, finding a guard who can spot shoot and check either 1s and 2s would fit perfectly -- especially if JJ Redick doesn't return.
Draft options: Lonnie Walker, Khyri Thomas
More ball handlers/shot creators
Fultz should fill this need if he's able to return to the form he showed at Washington, and T.J. McConnell has done an outstanding job of carving out a niche as the Sixers' backup PG and on-court leader. But even if Fultz does live up to expectations, the Sixers can still benefit here. They trot out one of the biggest starting lineups in the NBA, and could use the flexibility to play smaller. Although the draft's top lead guard is still up for debate, there are a host of prospects throughout the first round who could fill this role in Philly. Whether it's a smooth shot-maker such as Anfernee Simons, a grinder such as Aaron Holiday or a more physical driver/facilitator such as Bruce Brown, there are no shortage of options.
Draft options: Collin Sexton, Trae Young, Bruce Brown, Anfernee Simons, Aaron Holiday, Shai Alexander
Interior depth
Finding another versatile big to play the 4 for stretches next to Embiid and the 5 in bench lineups could be beneficial. The Sixers are expected to be picking in the range of Clint Capela-like rim-runner/shot-blockers Robert Williams and Daniel Gafford, but they currently rank fourth in the NBA in defensive rating, and it's hard to function with another non-shooter on the court with Simmons. So with that in mind, finding a big who can back up Embiid yet still fit with Simmons as a potential spacer/passer likely makes the most sense.
Draft options: Wendell Carter, Chimezie Metu
Depth at the wing/combo forward spot
While there might not be a surefire two-way wing in the top five, this draft does offer a handful of different players in that mold, each of them with varying strengths and weaknesses.
Draft options: Mikal Bridges, Kevin Knox, Miles Bridges, Keita Bates-Diop, Chandler Hutchison, Melvin Frazier
Second-rounders to keep in mind
With four second-rounders at their disposal, here are a handful of names who could be options in the 30s, as well as some potential stash prospects for the 50s picks who could join Mathias Lessort and Anzejs Pasecniks as Sixers draftees developing overseas.
Jalen Hudson | G | Florida
Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk | G | Kansas
Kevin Hervey | F | UT-Arlington
Elie Okobo | G | Pau-Orthez
Arnoldas Kulboka | F | Capo D'Orlando
Burning question: How does Fultz evolve?
How the Sixers approach this draft should give us a window into how confident they are in Fultz moving forward. Will GM Bryan Colangelo and his staff pass on other shot-creating/scoring guards with the hope that the former No. 1 overall pick returns to form?
Then there's the question of how well Simmons and Fultz will work together. Even when his jumper was right, Fultz was always at his best with the ball in his hands, and Simmons has proven that he's far less comfortable and impactful when he's not running the show.
With that said, the redshirt year has worked well for the Sixers with other players, and I truly believe that Fultz will eventually emerge as a stud lead guard and longtime NBA All-Star, even if the process starts a year later than most anticipated. Having multiple ball handlers is almost imperative in today's NBA, and Fultz and Simmons should find a way to coexist. How the 19-year-old progresses will go a long way in determining what level the Sixers can get to long term, as he still has the potential to become the second-best player on the Sixers' roster next to Embiid.