No matter if the NBA was still in action at this time or not, it’s never too early to begin taking a look at mock drafts. Especially when considering the Philadelphia 76ers had a low chance of getting a first-round draft pick when the season began, but they now can have a pick if the season ended at this time.
The pick the Sixers are to receive from the Oklahoma City Thunder was a top 20 protected pick. Not a lot of people expected that pick to convey after it appeared the Thunder would enter a rebuilding phase after trading away Russell Westbrook and Paul George, but they have played some good basketball leading up to the league suspension and their pick would be landing at 22 which conveys to Philadelphia.
A mock draft put out by Bleacher Report has the Sixers focused on a backup point guard in the form of Arizona freshman Nico Mannion.
After shooting just 37.0 percent from the floor in 2020, Mannion could slide due to questions about how effective he can be without plus tools or explosion. He’d enter value-pick territory in the 20s, where the Sixers could look at Mannion as a backup behind Ben Simmons to play-make and knock down jumpers for the second unit.
Mannion is not a supreme athlete or anything, but he can run an offense. The Sixers could use a real backup point guard for Ben Simmons as they have struggled to find a consistent option behind him. Mannion can move the ball as he averaged 5.3 assists with the Wildcats in his freshman season and he would be a low-risk option at 22. [lawrence-related id=27832,27813,27808]