Here’s what we know. The Sixers hold the third overall pick in this week’s draft. They hold a smattering of second-rounders: the 35th, 37th, 47th, 58th and 60th picks.
There is some real value in the second round, and that’s where the Sixers could make their mark. But — and isn’t there always a but with Sam Hinkie — the Sixers may not use all five of their second-round selections. So let’s look at six guys the Sixers could select in Thursday’s draft:
No. 3: D'Angelo Russell, G, Ohio State (6-5/180)
Just like any other year for the NBA draft, there is a lot of chatter about who the top five teams will take. The Sixers' selection could largely depend on who the Timberwolves and the Lakers take. I think the T-Wolves take Karl-Anthony Towns and the Lakers take Jahlil Okafor.
If — big if — Mitch Kupchak pulls the trigger on a trade for say, DeMarcus Cousins, then the Lakers could actually select the player they are rumored to be interested in, D’Angelo Russell. But I think the Lakers take Okafor and that means the point guard the Sixers need could be sitting on a silver platter. If I’m them, I write Russell’s name on the card and send it in for commissioner Adam Silver to read.
But the Sixers are going to do what they are going to do. And my CSNPhilly colleague John Gonzalez would be just too happy to hear a certain Latvian player’s name.
Second round
This is where the Sixers can address their depth, or lack thereof. Shooting guard, center, power forward, small forward, maybe even point. Just get the best player available.
No. 35: Rakeem Christmas, PF, Syracuse (6-9/243)
Christmas is a local kid, having lived in Philly since he was 13. He’s a little undersized for the four, but he showed that he was able to bang with the big guys in the low post during his time at Syracuse. Rim protection and put-backs, thanks to his 7½-foot wing span, aren’t the only things to admire about Christmas’ game. At the draft combine, he showed his shooting skill, routinely knocking down the mid-range jumper. He plays more face-up to the basket than Nerlens Noel, and is not a bad free throw shooter. So if the Sixers had Christmas, that would let Noel play the five, his more natural position. And yes, I know, Joel Embiid is still on the team.
No. 37: Jordan Mickey, PF, LSU (6-8/240)
I was fortunate to watch Mickey for two years in a number of games, including several against Kentucky. This guy is a beast on the block. He’s built like LeBron James. That’s not to say he is LBJ; he is not. But Mickey is a big guy who is very physical and can shoot well. He’s a 50 percent shooter from the floor and that’s because he knows his game. He banged around with the likes of Willie Cauley-Stein and Towns and more than held his own. This past season, he averaged a double-double. Mickey has a high motor, and I just like the way the kid plays. If the Sixers don’t take Christmas, I’d think they’ll look at a big, physical body and good scorer like Mickey.
No. 47: Olivier Hanlan, SG, Boston College (6-4/185)
The Sixers need scoring. You don’t need me to tell you that, but it does bear repeating. The Sixers averaged 92.0 points per game, and the Knicks averaged only 91.9 points. Thanks to that tenth of a point, the Sixers weren’t the worst team. But either way you slice it, they need help. And Hanlan can provide help on that front — at BC last year, he averaged 19.5 points. The year before, 18.5, both at a 45 percent clip from the field. So he’s no stranger to being called upon to carry a team’s scoring load. He’s not a tried and true three-point shooter, but that has a lot to do with him not being asked to shoot from beyond the arc.
No. 58: Michael Qualls, SG, Arkansas (6-6/205)
I know how the Sixers love to take a player coming off an injury, but there is a reason to take a chance on Qualls. Yes, he tore his ACL in workouts just weeks ago. But he’s a guy who would’ve been selected higher in this draft had that not happened. Qualls is a defensive juggernaut. He has a 7-foot wingspan and the speed of a guard. Think about that. The Sixers could use a little tenacity on that side of the ball. I also happen to think that if he gets the chance and is drafted, he would work hard to prove his worth and to show the other teams what they passed on. I watched him over the past three seasons, and his instincts on the ball and his high motor immediately jumped off the screen. If the Sixers take a flier on a player, they’d be well worth it to use it on Qualls.
No. 60: Chris Walker, F, Florida (6-9/215)
Speaking of taking a flier on a player, the definition of that may be the 60th and last pick in the draft. I listed Chris Walker as a forward because he’s a bit in between positions, though his size would say he’s a power forward.
Walker was a highly recruited high school player but was limited in his freshman year at Florida when the NCAA looked into eligiblilty. Then he was suspended his sophomore year after a failed drug test. I know that seems like some knocks against him, but you can’t deny his size, strength and ability. If Walker was able to go to the pros right out of high school, he would have been selected in the first round, I have little doubt about that. Perhaps the right coach (Brett Brown) and a little humble pie about being selected the last pick in the draft will help Walker become the player so many think he can be.