Philadelphia 76ers: 2019 NBA Draft grades
By Alec Liebsch
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