The 76ers currently own the 22nd pick in the 2020 Draft, but that obviously could change based on how the Thunder do during the resumption. If Philly keeps their pick, who should they target?
Ky Carlin Sixers Wire editor: To put it plainly, a shooter. I have two guys that stand out to me at 22 and there’s a chance they’ll have to trade up for both of them. One is Jahmi’us Ramsey who shot 42.6% from deep in his lone season at Texas Tech and that shooting ability will look so nice next to Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. The team needs a floor spacer in the worst way
The other option is Kira Lewis Jr. of Alabama. Lewis Jr. would fill a few different roles for the Sixers as he would be able to provide a backup point guard presence, he gets to the foul line, and he also shot 36.6% from deep as a sophomore. He’s aggressive, he attacks downhill, and there’s a role for a guy like that in the league.
Justin Quinn Celtics Wire editor: Even though the team just added Ryan Broekhoeff, they’ll need more shooting whether they convince Broekhoeff to stay next season or not. I’d be looking at the sharpshooters likely to be in range, and while there aren’t loads, a few stand out. If Philly can get a little luck, Texas Tech shooting guard Jahmi’us Ramsey would be my primary target. Ramsey, a 6-foot-4 native of Texas, shot the 3-ball at a 42.6 % success rate with the Red Raiders, and at a high clip, too — 5.2 per game. While his free throw rate is a bot concerning at 64.1 %, it’s not a major part of his game yet, and it wouldn’t be with the 76ers anyway.
Another alternative might be TCU’s, Desmond Bane. It might be a bit of a reach this early in the draft for the 6-foot-5 shooting guard based on most mocks, but where older prospects aren’t always as highly valued (Bane will be 22 in October), for a team that needs a player to be able to contribute with a late pick, it might be worth a shot. The Indiana native shot 44.2 % from deep 6.5 times per game with the Horned Frogs. Like Ramsey, he’ll need to get to the line more at the next level, but that’s not why the Sixers would be taking him anyway.
Logan Newman, Sixers Wire staff writer: I’d like to see the Sixers take someone who can be a lead ball-handler for the second unit and play off-ball as a 3-point threat for the starters. No. 22 feels a touch early for Tyrell Terry, but I like his fit on this Sixers team more than I do a guard like RJ Hampton or Nico Mannion. Listed at just 6-foot-2 and 160 pounds, he’s best suited next to a bigger guard. Terry looks like an ideal off-ball guard who can take the lead when necessary. For a team like the Sixers, who have Ben Simmons at the other guard, he fits well.
Terry averaged 14.6 points on 40.8% 3-point shooting and finds creative passing angles that suggest he’s a better passer than his 3.2 assists per game indicate. On defense, he can get into passing lanes, but he’s going to have to be a player the Sixers hide on defense in the playoffs — when the other guard is Simmons or he’s with the bench unit, that’s OK. Terry doesn’t have the potential as some other guards around the early-20s range, but as a fit for a team with title aspirations but 3-point shooting needs, I like Terry.
Bryan Kalbrosky, NBA Wire EIC: Philadelphia’s bench scored 31.4 points per game, per NBA.com, which ranked second-worst among all teams in the Eastern Conference. Their team requires a backup primary ball-handler for the minutes when Ben Simmons is not on the court. But unlike many other teams selecting before the Sixers, their offense will need a win-now option. The player who most closely resembles an NBA-ready scorer is Charleston’s Grant Riller, who averaged 21.9 points per game in 20190-20. The 6-foot-3 prospect, who arguably has the best first step of anyone in this class, would also be capable of playing off-ball alongside Simmons much like the Toronto Raptors do with Kyle Lowry and Fred VanVleet.
Riller ranked seventh-best among Division I players in total isolation scoring, averaging 3.2 points per game. He is also an incredible interior finisher who shot 107-of-152 (70.4%) within five feet of the basket in 2019-20. That was second-best among all high-volume finishers who were 6-foot-3 or shorter. Here is what he told me about his potential role in the NBA: “I’m a guy who can play with any type of player. I would say that I’m a basketball player. I’ll do whatever I’m asked to do. If you need me to score, I’ll score. If you need me to run a team and facilitate, I’ll do that. I don’t have a problem with being asked to do anything on the basketball floor.” said Riller.