National Basketball Association

Revisiting 2017 NBA Draft Picks 76ers Lakers Kings

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Sam Hinkie acquired significant NBA draft rights for the 2017 NBA Draft. Let’s revisit their status

The 2017 NBA Draft is a meaningful source of significant talent. In fact, it’s significant enough to already warrant in depth looks from a team on the rise. One such NBA team is the Philadelphia 76ers. But why?

Well we know that the 2017 NBA draft will be relevant to the 76ers due to the strong likelihood of the 76ers earning another lottery pick in that draft. But that’s only the tip of the iceberg, and the team has Sam Hinkie to thank.

The NBA Draft is akin to shooting in the dark. A single draft pick in that first round is like a rifle bullet. Yes, you can bag a big one, but it’s as much luck as skill. Hinkie’s view was simply to optimize the odds by augmenting his options in any given draft. In the 2017 NBA Draft, Hinkie lined up draft swap rights with the Sacramento Kings as well as the first round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers (top-3 protected). How will that help the 76ers?

Plenty.

Let’s revisit the 2017 NBA Draft for the Philadelphia 76ers.

Sep 26, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers forward Nerlens Noel (4) dribbles the ball during media day at the Philadelphia 76ers Training Complex. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Restocking the Shelves

The hopes of a great start to the NBA season have dimmed somewhat for the Philadelphia 76ers with the news of top draft choice Ben Simmons’ foot fracture. The fracture has sidelined the rookie for a significant portion of the season and once more forces the team to speculate which personnel will work best with him upon his return.

Thankfully, the team will not be building around Simmons with just one pick. As of today, the team risk losing Nerlens Noel, Sergio Rodriguez, Elton Brand, Hollis Thompson, and T.J. McConnell. While not devastating losses, the 2016-2017 season may yet reveal one or more to be worthwhile for this team going forward.

Still, the team will need to restock the talent. So what do we have coming to us?

In the first round, the Philadelphia 76ers have their own pick, the first round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers, and the rights to swap picks with the Sacramento Kings. While that same situation did not convey in the 2016 NBA draft, there is reason to believe that the Sacramento Kings, sans Rajon Rondo, will struggle this season while the Los Angeles Lakers, with some production from their youth, may improve somewhat.

Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports

How the Balls Fall

In the Lucky Lotto of the NBA draft, a team that falls out of post season has a chance at the top pick in the NBA draft, however remotely. Should the Lakers improve this season, their draft pick odds of conveying to the 76ers increases dramatically. While the optimal hope for the team is to finish with the first and fourth NBA draft picks, the hope of the 76ers landing the top pick in two consecutive years is remote.

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But thankfully, the team has the Sacramento Kings in the mix as well, and the Kings may struggle this year. The projections from Bleacher report have the team at 26th, which would give them a 29.2 percent chance of a top three pick in the NBA draft. Those odds add to the 76ers odds.

Meanwhile the Philadelphia 76ers traded seldom used point guard Kendall Marshall to the Utah Jazz for a pair of 2017 NBA Draft picks.

While the team will likely not find a day one starter with either 2017 second round pick, the depth of that draft will likely turn out some quality even deep into the second round.

Jun 24, 2016; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo during an introduction press conference at the Philadelphia College of Osteopathic Medicine. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Draft and Stash Cupboards

While the team could get lucky with the New York Knicks second round pick, the worst of that group could likely be at or nearly at the last pick of the 2017 NBA draft. But that is okay.

The team boast the rights to shooting guard Furkan Korkmaz and point guard Vasile Micic. While Micic may continue to be an overseas project, Korkmaz could earn a roster spot next year with a good showing with Turkish team Anadolu Efes.

And with that, the team will need to replenish the overseas cupboards as well.

Can the team find gems in the second round? Easily. That’s where the NBA locates promising young men who still need a bit of polish to their game. With many college recruits leaving after just one year of NCAA action, their games oftentimes arrive a tad raw for the NBA court.

So it looks as though the 2017 NBA Draft may be another step to the rebuilding process, and as it appears now, could yield a fine boost of young NBA talent at a key juncture. How so?

2017 NBA Draft Summary:

Philadelphia 76ers first round pick.
AND Rights to swap 76ers first round pick with that of the Sacramento Kings (best of the two)
AND Los Angeles Lakers first round pick (1-3 Protected)

Philadelphia gets best and worst 2nd round picks from (Utah Jazz, Detroit Pistons, New York Knicks, and Golden State Warriors)
BUT Philadelphia 76ers second round pick to New Orleans.

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