Taking issue with part of Sixers' draft
Taking Jahlil Okafor was the right move, but its surprising the Sixers didnt acquire another first-round pick.
CONSIDERING THE first major move Sam Hinkie made was to swap All-Star point guard Jrue Holiday to the New Orleans Pelicans for two first-round draft picks, the Sixers' president/general manager's affinity for asset acquisition was established from the start.
Just as important as the Sixers getting big man Nerlens Noel with the 2013 New Orleans pick (sixth overall) was the Pelicans also surrendering their first-round pick in 2014 that turned out to be the 10th overall.
Last year on draft night, Hinkie flipped that asset by drafting point guard Elfrid Payton but then trading him to Orlando for the 12th pick, which turned into European forward Dario Saric. He also reacquired the 2017 first pick the Sixers had surrendered to Orlando in the ill-fated trade for Andrew Bynum, plus a second pick that turned out to be 35th overall last night.
Given Hinkie's propensity for wheeling and dealing, a lot of Sixers fans went into last night excited about the fact that he had five second-round picks and potentially four 2016 first-round picks to operate with.
Frankly, it was a little deflating.
The Sixers absolutely did the right thing in taking Duke University freshman center Jahlil Okafor.
Did the Los Angeles Lakers selecting D'Angelo Russell with the second overall pick alter Hinkie's plans? He'll never say so we'll never know for sure.
With Okafor's credentials, however, the Sixers don't have to defend selecting him. He was the best player on the board and there was no need for the Sixers to get cute and over-think things.
Still, much like after lottery night when none of the three protected first-round picks Hinkie had traded for conveyed to this draft, there was a feeling of wanting more.
I admit it. I was anticipating a bit of Hinkie magic. I thought he would find a way to turn some of those assets into another first-round pick - preferably a second lottery selection.
Assets are just talking points until they actually translate into players.
I understand this is a rebuilding situation. I understand it's going to take time to see if this plan is going to work. But the argument has been that the Sixers have suffered through two miserable seasons in an effort to acquire high draft picks to increase their odds of finding high-level players.
The Sixers didn't need five second-round draft picks. They don't need four first-round picks next season - not when they could have converted some of those assets into higher-quality players last night.
By adding Okafor, who Hinkie said he intended to keep in a text reply to ESPN's Andy Katz, to Noel and redshirt rookie center Joel Embiid, who hopefully will recover fully from the foot injury that cost him his first season, the Sixers potentially have an All-Star caliber frontcourt down the road.
Then in another season or two, they could add Saric to the mix, making the front court even stronger.
Still, the rest of the Sixers' current roster can be described as suspect at best.
The Lakers taking Russell was a major wrench in the Sixers' plans. As a prospect, he rated as high as any of the players mentioned in the top five, but as a combo guard he also fit a glaring need. Hinkie certainly knew that the Lakers were looking at Russell and had a contingency plan in place for that happening. I have no doubt that Okafor was the primary part in that, but I have to believe trading for a second mid-to-high first-round pick was part of that plan as well.
There were trades to be made.
The Washington Wizards acquired Kansas freshman Kelly Oubre, who was drafted 15th by the Atlanta Hawks, for the 19th overall pick and two future second-round picks.
Atlanta then used the pick to draft Notre Dame point guard Jerian Grant and immediately moved him to the New York Knicks for guard Tim Hardaway Jr.
With the 24th pick, the Cleveland Cavaliers selected Duke point guard Tyus Jones then quickly moved him to Minnesota for two second-round picks (31st and 36th).
Why didn't the Sixers make a move like that? Those are exactly the type of draft deals teams stockpile second-round picks to make.
The Sixers got the best player available with the third pick last night - one who looks to be a major piece to help move this program forward.
Still, when a team has as many needs as the Sixers, acquiring more players would have been a better move than holding on to a bevy of future assets.
Columns: ph.ly/Smallwood
Blog: ph.ly/DNL