After their umpteenth consecutive draft night with multiple picks, the Philadelphia 76ers come away with a predictable pair of prospects in the 2019 NBA Draft.
It was obvious that the Philadelphia 76ers would not use all their pick in the 2019 NBA Draft. In control of five, Philly could have argued using all of them, but ultimately opted to keep only two.
How the Sixers got here is a fascinating story. The 24th pick is their own, but No. 33 is from the Markelle Fultz trade made at the deadline with the Orlando Magic, in which Philly also received Jonathon Simmons and the Oklahoma City Thunder’s first-rounder in 2020 (top-20 protected).
As for No. 34, that came from a trade with the Los Angeles Lakers the week leading up to draft night last year, where the Lake Show traded up to select Isaac Bonga, one of the few humans still on their roster.
The 42nd overall pick goes way back to the Sam Hinkie era. In 2014, the Sixers traded Casper Ware (yes, that Casper Ware) to the Brooklyn Nets for Marquis Teague and a 2019 second-rounder. Don’t you miss those Process days?
In contrast with how the Sixers acquired No. 42, they traded away what became No. 31 this year (the first pick of the second round) along with Jahlil Okafor and Nik Stauskas for — you guessed it — Trevor Booker. It was one of several blunders by Bryan Colangelo.
In the hopes of not repeating his mistakes, the Sixers chose proven players with the picks they kept. Whether or not the other picks were worth keeping is a question worth monitoring for the next few years.
With that in mind, here’s an analysis of every selection the 76ers did (and didn’t) make in the 2019 NBA Draft.
Trading up to No. 20 pick: Matisse Thybulle
On its face, Ty Jerome seemed like the right selection at No. 24. The Sixers need immediate contributors, and Jerome could’ve provide that with his combo of on-ball playmaking and off-ball shooting and cutting.
But instead, Philly got spicier with this pick. Combining it with No. 33, the 76ers reportedly traded up to No. 20 to poach Matisse Thybulle of Washington from the Boston Celtics.
Thybulle will give Sixers a dose of what Robert Covington used to be, as a hawk on defense. Playing in a zone scheme at Washington definitely helped his “stock” numbers (steals plus blocks), but Thybulle is still a good defender at heart.
Even in a league where man-to-man defense is the standard, Thybulle has the tools and I.Q to be a disruptive stopper. His anticipation transcends any scheme, and his 7’0″ wingspan will make him a threat to cut off passing lanes and initiate the fast break at any time.
Offensively, Thybulle knows his role. He’s a good fit in any competitive setting because of that, as he can step in and contribute without record-scratching the offensive flow.
His 3-point percentage was poor last season (30.7 percent), but over his entire college career it was palatable (35.8 percent) with a legitimate sample (4.0 attempts per game over all four seasons). In addition, he shot nearly 80 percent from the free throw line across all four years at Washington.
Sans variance, he’s a capable shooter with good defensive tools and instincts. The Sixers need 3-and-D prospects, and the front office traded up to address this. Thybulle should contribute in a positive way almost immediately.
A calamity of trading up from No. 24 to No. 20, Carsen Edwards (taken 33rd overall) won’t don a Sixers uniform. He would’ve looked damn good in it, though.
Despite Edwards only being 6’0″, he’s a threat to shoot from anywhere. He had to manage Purdue’s offense due to their lack of other talent, but he’s a scorer at heart. An NBA team can cater to that much better than his college team could.
As for the value proposition, the Sixers did well. Using an early second to trade up four spots seems like a reach, but Thybulle is good value for a team that’s in search of two-way contributors.
Philly has a poor history of trading with Boston (see: Fultz), but context is key here. Thybulle will contribute immediately, even in a rotation run by known rookie hater Brett Brown. So long as the Sixers can bring everyone back, Thybulle can fit into a role and make the team better from day one. It’s not crazy to envision him starting for this team down the line.
Grade: A-
No. 34 pick: Bruno Fernando
The 34th overall pick wasn’t a casualty of the Thybulle trade, but the Sixers found a way to kick the can down the road with this selection.
Per multiple reports, Philly sent this selection to the Atlanta Hawks for the No. 57 selection this year and two future second-rounders. Atlanta selected center Bruno Fernando with this pick, which will make many Sixers fans groan due to their need at backup center.
In reality though, is there such a thing as a “backup center” in today’s NBA anyway? Sure the 76ers got roasted when Joel Embiid was off the court, but isn’t that more of a testament to Embiid’s strengths than the supporting cast’s shortcomings?
In a high-level setting, most centers get played off the floor anyway. It’s not crazy to think Ben Simmons can be the nominal 5 in a crunch-time setting, should the Sixers get to that level. They simply lacked general bodies last season, so a motley of journeyman bigs was used instead.
The Hawks are well on their way to prosperity, but the 76ers could’ve used this pick for someone. It’s clear that they didn’t see anyone worth taking here, but this still feels like a miss, especially this early in the second round
Grade: C
No. 42 pick: Admiral Schofield
Admiral Schofield is not only an excellent name, but also a dude who would’ve filled a role in Philly. Alas, he was yet another casualty of salary cap management.
Per reports, the 42nd pick of this year’s draft was used as a sweetener to get out of Jonathon Simmons’ contract. Simmons was on pace to be a waste of money next season, even with his $1 million buyout option.
It seems like a hefty price to pay the Washington Wizards just to save $1 million, but every dollar counts for what Philly has to do this summer. It’s almost certain that the team will have to dive into the luxury tax to keep this core together, so saving money is probably more advantageous than taking a risk in a weak draft class.
On its face, electing to not use cheap labor is a loss. But considering how much money the Sixers are set to use in free agency, getting rid of dead money is a success.
Grade: B
No. 54 pick: Marial Shayok
At the end of the draft, especially in a weak one like this, you can only expect so much. In Marial Shayok, you can expect one thing at the very least: scoring.
As the lead option at Iowa State, Shayok had to do a lot more than he’ll do in the NBA. Playing alongside stars, Shayok can play to his strengths as a specialist.
He wasn’t a volume shooter until this past season, where he spiked to 5.4 attempts per game. Connecting on 38.6 percent of those triples is no fluke, so it’s clear what his role at the next level will be.
The other side of the court is what deterred teams from drafting him earlier. He’s not very quick laterally, but he does have a 6’11” wingspan.
As an upperclassman, he’ll also fit right into the win-now culture. Brand spoke various times about his desire for experienced prospects who know how to play a role, which Shayok is willing to do.
In terms of value, this feels like a reach; Shayok was not predicted to be drafted at all in most mock drafts. But if he sticks around and is playable in a high-level setting, that’s a win.
Grade: C+
Overall
All in all, this was an uneventful first career draft night for Brand. In a year where many implored the front office to keep its picks, Sixers brass opted to do the opposite and traded away three of their five selections.
This speaks to the front office’s confidence in free agency. The idea of “running it back” has been popular among the fans, and Philly intentionally didn’t overload the bench on this night.
Thybulle is a good prospect in a weak draft; at worst he’ll be a switchable defender who can’t be left open. Shayok will stick in the league if he can use that length to his advantage, which was a safer bet than most of the remaining prospects.
It would’ve been nice to see the team use one or two more of its picks, but it’s clear there’s a plan in place. The money and assets incurred from trading those selections has to go somewhere, and the 76ers are on pace to pay quite a lot in the coming weeks.
The Sixers picked exactly who they said they’d target: upperclassmen who can shoot and defend. Their draft record with proven commodities is limited in recent years, but Landry Shamet was a hell of a pick last year, so here’s to hoping these guys can commandeer that type of value.
Final Grade: B