The Philadelphia 76ers didn’t get two top-five picks, but they still have the third pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.
Rookie center Joel Embiid was the Philadelphia 76ers‘ representative as things got going last night in the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery. The Sixers were unable to obtain the Los Angeles Lakers‘ 2017 first round pick as it landed inside the top three. However, the Sacramento Kings ended up swapping their pick with them, allowing Philadelphia to pick up the third overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft on June 22.
The Boston Celtics and Lakers earned the No. 1 and No. 2 overall picks, respectively. For the first time in the modern NBA Draft era, the Celtics will have the first overall pick in the NBA Draft. They had a 25 percent chance, the best of any team, to receive the No. 1 pick.
Philadelphia would receive any Lakers pick that landed outside the top three picks, but the odds favored Los Angeles, giving them the second overall pick in the draft.
All is not lost, as the Philadelphia 76ers now own the third overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. The results allowed the Sacramento Kings to jump all the way up to the third pick, but they swapped picks with the 76ers. The Kings will now pick fifth in the NBA Draft. The 76ers will also receive the Lakers’ 2018 first round draft pick and the Kings’ 2019 first-rounder with no protections.
Comin' in at the #3 spot! #NBADraftLottery pic.twitter.com/f1jjNLCH0W
— Philadelphia 76ers (@sixers) May 17, 2017
The Philadelphia Sixers have had a pick in the top-three for four consecutive years. With the first overall pick last year, they drafted forward Ben Simmons out of LSU. In the 2015 NBA Draft, they selected Jahill Okafor with the third overall pick. They drafted center Joel Embiid third overall in the 2014 NBA Draft.
What’s the next move?
This year’s pick in the 2017 NBA Draft should be a solid wingman to combine with Embiid, Simmons, Saric and the rest of the 76ers roster. The draft class is full of guards but the 76ers could use a versatile player to man the backcourt with Simmons, who is expected to run the point position.
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Even if Markelle Fultz (Washington) or Lonzo Ball (UCLA) are off the board by the third pick, the 76ers will still have plenty of options to choose from. They could draft Jayson Tatum (Duke), a 6-foot-8 small forward but his ability to score in bunches and defend make him a coveted prospect.
He averaged 16.8 points, 7.3 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game in his freshman season. He also shot 50.4 percent from the floor and 34.1 percent from three-point range in his lone season at Duke.
Another player possibly on the 76ers’ radar is Josh Jackson (Kansas). He is also a 6-foot-8 small forward. Jackson was a bit more efficient from the floor than Tatum last season, shooting 54.9 percent from the floor and 37.8 percent from three. In Tatum’s defense, Jackson attempted fewer three-pointers per game, but it speaks to his shot selection.
Next: Winners and losers of the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery
Tatum and Jackson are both players who have proven they can score in bunches when given the opportunity. The Philadelphia 76ers should be in good shape come draft night on June 22 with the third overall pick.