After tanking their way into the Mariana Trench of the NBA, and never having the No. 1 overall pick to show for all of their years of losing on purpose, the Sixers finally hit the jackpot on draft lottery night.
Coming off a 10-win season, the Sixers will pick No. 1 in June. The next biggest winner in New York? The Lakers avoided disaster by keeping their pick, when it finished in the top three, and will have the No. 2 pick as they move on from the Kobe Bryant era.
Winners of only 47 games over the past three seasons, when they kept losing without any regard for their loyal legion of fans, the Sixers saw Tuesday night as a new beginning. When the Lakers’ logo came up for the No. 2 pick, several Philly executives and members of the ownership group leaped to their feet and let out a cheer in the ballroom of the New York City midtown Hilton. The franchise's last No. 1 overall pick was Allen Iverson, a future MVP, in 1996.
“It probably lifts a little cloud of negativity that has been around the organization,’’ said Bryan Colangelo, the Sixers’ new GM, who was brought in last month to clean up the mess left by his predecessor, Sam Hinkie. "To see this organization struggling through a lot of painful nights over the last couple of years, this is a good night for the franchise and for the city.’’
Now comes the hard part. The Sixers will get a shot at drafting LSU’s Ben Simmons or Duke’s Brandon Ingram. They’re considered the top two players in the draft, although both played only one season of college basketball.
How will the Sixers go? It’s way too early to tell.
“I always look at talent, high character, versatility and someone who can not only play basketball, but also represent your organization and your city the right way,’’ said Colangelo, who previously re-built losers into playoff teams in Phoenix and Toronto. “At the top of this draft, you’ll have all of this covered.’’
Still, Colangelo has to make the right call, while the Lakers, if they keep the pick, will simply take the player the Sixers decide to pass on. GM Mitch Kupchak admitted he was relieved that the Ping-Pong balls bounced in the Lakers’ favor, after a season when the bounce of the basketball often went against Bryant in his NBA swan song.
If the Lakers had not finished in the top three after their franchise-worst, 17-win season, the pick would have gone to Philly as a part of the trade that brought the Lakers Steve Nash from Phoenix. That turned out to be a terrible deal, because Nash, a former two-time MVP, couldn’t stay healthy. It would have turned into a catastrophe if the Lakers fell out of the top three. Even falling out of the top two would have been a major setback, as the second tier of prospects starts at No. 3, where Boston will select.
“Obviously, we’re pleased to have the pick,’’ Kupchak said. “When you have a season like we had, it’s nice to have something to show for it. It was nerve-wracking sitting up there.’’
As of now, Kupchak has no idea what he’ll be getting on draft night, June 23, because the Sixers themselves have no idea.
One thing to remember: The Lakers are done losing. The last three seasons the franchise won a grand total of 65 games. That was their win total when they won the NBA title in 2009.
"At some point,'' Kupchak said, "you have to make a dramatic jump or at least show dramatic improvement.''
So there's your argument for the Lakers moving the pick to get an established player and return to the land of the winning.
But for now, it's homework time in Philly to find out who will be the better pro, Simmons or Ingram?
The CliffsNotes version: Simmons is the more versatile player than Ingram and has an NBA-ready body, at 6-8, 225 pounds. A prolific passer with a high basketball IQ, he’ll no doubt be compared by some to Magic Johnson. It's a reach for more than a few reasons, starting with what some scouts see as a troubling lack of passion and intensity. Johnson, of course, never lacked for those when he commanded the Showtime years. And what does it say that Simmons couldn't even get LSU into the NCAA Tournament?
But here's the bigger problem the pros see in the big Aussie: Simmons can’t shoot a lick, attempting only three three-pointers this past season. One veteran scout sized up his shot by saying, “it’s awful, basically a set shot.’’
Ingram could go No. 1 because he can shoot. He has NBA three-point range and can get his own shot, which is no small consideration in this day and age when teams want to put five shooters on the floor and everybody can shoot three’s. But he’s razor thin at 6-9, 190 pounds and doesn't have Simmons' all-around game.
It could come down to character. Ingram has his feet firmly planted on the ground, while Simmons “is full of himself,’’ according to one NBA scout. He allowed a camera crew to follow him around during his one season at LSU, to film a documentary. As if he’s already Kobe Bryant, with five rings.
It’s a crap-shoot, in one very important regard.
“You don’t have a Tim Duncan or a LeBron James in this group of players,’’ said New Orleans coach Alvin Gentry, who represented the Pelicans and goes home with the No. 6 overall pick. “You don’t have the one guy who can come in and dominate. There probably isn’t an Anthony Davis, either. With this draft, you might see someone taken six, seven, eight, nine or 10 who might develop into a star. Remember Steph Curry, right?’’
Who can forget. In 2009, six players were selected before Golden State found its future MVP at No. 7.
Lucky seven, as it should be forever known out in Oakland.
