The 2015 NBA Draft was an important one for the Sixers. They needed to find a piece to really push their rebuild forward. They did select Joel Embiid in 2014, but due to his foot injury, they had yet to see what he could really do. So, with the third pick in 2015, they went with another big man.
It came down to two talented bigs in Jahlil Okafor and Kristaps Porzingis with the third pick and the Sixers selected Okafor with Porzingis going to the New York Knicks with the next pick. Okafor had a solid rookie season averaging 17.5 points and 7.0 rebounds, but Porzingis displayed an all-around game that was perfect for the modern game and he would have a better rookie season in New York.
Okafor, meanwhile, has been ranked one of the biggest busts of the 2010’s decade.
The Sixers have a chance to correct that mistake in a re-draft done by Bleacher Report. They have the Sixers selecting Porzingis over Okafor.
B/R:
At his best, Porzingis has a strong case to be the best player in the 2015 draft. What drops him: consistency and injury concerns. Even beyond the torn ACL that kept him out most of the 2017-18 season and all of the 2018-19 season, he’s missed games throughout his career with other injuries and hasn’t played more than 70 games in a season since his rookie year with the Knicks.
Still, a 7’3″ center who can shoot threes and protect the rim is a rare commodity. Before his 2018 knee injury, Porzingis was having a career year, shooting 39.5 percent from three and averaging career highs of 22.7 points and 2.4 blocks per game.
During his season on the sidelines, Porzingis requested a trade from New York, disagreeing with the direction of the organization, and was dealt at the 2019 deadline to the Dallas Mavericks. His first season in Dallas was up-and-down as he worked his way back from the knee injury, but it’s clear he still has the potential to be a dynamic second option next to fellow Euro star Luka Doncic.
As for Okafor, they have him going 25 to the Portland Trail Blazers in the re-draft. It’s not that he’s a bad player or anything, but his game does not fit in the modern era. He is more of a classic big man when the league is more fit for a guy like Porzingis. [lawrence-related id=30695,30684,30677]