Philadelphia 76ers: 5 options for pick No. 33 in 2019 NBA Draft

SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH - MARCH 23: Devon Dotson #11 of the Kansas Jayhawks drives with the ball against Chuma Okeke #5 of the Auburn Tigers during their game in the Second Round of the NCAA Basketball Tournament at Vivint Smart Home Arena on March 23, 2019 in Salt Lake City, Utah. (Photo by Tom Pennington/Getty Images) /

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5. Daniel Gafford

Of all the bench holes on the Sixers’ roster, the most evident one was the backup 5-spot. In the 99 minutes that Joel Embiid was off the court in the Toronto Raptors series, Philly was outscored by 109 points. That’s over a point per minute!

That gaping of a hole is unacceptable going forward, especially knowing Embiid’s injury history. Someone needs to be able to step in and do the simple things: rim run, not get roasted and not make stupid mistakes.

Daniel Gafford, a sophomore who arguably could’ve been drafted in 2018, seems destined for that role at the next level. Despite Arkansas not playing to his strengths (using him as a pick-and-roll finisher), Gafford still put up 16.9 points in 28.9 minutes per game.

At the next level, his pick-and-roll potential will dictate his career. He has all the tools to maximize that facet, and additionally isn’t a burden on the less glamorous end. Gafford is a timely shot-blocker who makes the best use of his physical tools, and rarely takes plays off.

Averaging 2.0 blocks per game at Arkansas, he also has the evidence to back up his profile. As long as an NBA coach can simplify the game for Gafford, he’ll have a solid role at the next level.