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The Philadelphia 76ers are lucky enough to have a first-round pick in the 2020 NBA Draft after the success of the Oklahoma City Thunder. The team will have the 21st pick in the November 18 draft and general manager Elton Brand will have a few ways he can go about it.
The team so far has interviewed Stanford guard Tyrell Terry and TCU’s Desmond Bane so far and both of those guys will be great options for them. However, a third guy could be a really nice choice as well.
That would be lanky 6-foot-4 French guard Theo Maledon who is mocked to Philadelphia by CBS Sports. Maledon is a versatile guard who can play either position and he can run the offense as well should Philadelphia move Ben Simmons off the ball permanently.
CBS on the Maledon to Philadelphia pick:
Theo Maledon missed time with an injury while playing professionally in France last season and was mostly underwhelming — although, in fairness, he played better as things progressed. But the talent that made him an interesting prospect at a young age — he was the youngest LNB All-Star in history — still exists. So Philadelphia, which is no longer committed to playing Ben Simmons at point guard, should seriously consider Maledon with the 21st pick, if he’s available, because he would add a skilled lead guard to the roster Doc Rivers is inheriting.
New coach Doc Rivers did say that the team will not try and emulate the Golden State Warriors as they will focus on their strengths. The team’s strengths are obviously their size and versatility. The Sixers have guys who can play multiple positions and Maledon fits that idea fairly well. [lawrence-related id=38251,38255,38248]