NBA DRAFT 2009: 76ers Wishlist

Talk about slim pickings. The NBA draft continues to spiral into a wasteland. Fortunately some of these picks will pan out for someone to some degree. But more and more if you don't have a top 3 pick, than you can throw a dart at a board and pray. What does that say about the overhyped Tyler Hansborough?

Honestly other than Blake Griffin, I don't see a clear cut bona fide NBA player in this draft. Oh there are NBA players here but that is only in a relative sense. That is seen in the fact that Spain's Ricky Rubio is projected as a top 5 pick and the #2 talent behind Griffin. Yeah, and 18 year old kid who has yet to play in the USA. And yet there will be couple guys who bust out after they get to the next level, I just don't see any more no brainers other than Griffin. With the exception of guys who will at least be bench or role players. But I am talking about potential All - Stars and immediate impact makers.

Also consider that Hasheem Thabeet the raw 22 yr old 7 foot center from UCONN is penciled in at #3 and while he may develop into a nice Pro, he is not ready for the NBA right now.

Ironically though there is some value at Point guard in this draft. The only question mark here is that the premier Point Guards are long on talent and short on ...... well actually just short or diminutive in stature.  Although many small guards have excelled in this league, it is always a concern. Take the min superstar Allen Iverson. While he has been a prolific scorer he never blossomed into a big time Point Guard on my opinion. Maybe some of that is attitude more than size. He also has never been a great defender. Yes he has his steals but he gets schooled at the defensive end more than he stops people. However Jameer Nelson who is also small but has a bigger body, has been a quality point guard and a solid defender for the most part. Where does leave the Sixers for the 2009 draft?

 With the 17th pick the 76ers actually have some viable options. In terms of overall rankings, the general consensus among many Top 100 boards have 6'7", 277 pd Power Forward DeJuan Butler from PITT as the 17th best player in the draft. However most mock drafts have him gone by the 13th or 14th pick.

While the Sixers could use a large body for some low post presence, they are in a glaring need for points and an up tempo "QB". 33 yr old Andre Miller is still an above average Point Guard in the NBA but he still in limbo as to his contract. He is an unrestricted Free Agent as of July 1st. What does this mean?

Well if Miller wants to walk then the Sixers will definitely need to go with a Point Guard. Honestly they may take a PG even if they are confident of signing the durable and wiley Miller. This would allow a transition period for the young kid coming in. 2 great choices would be UNC's Ty Lawson or Virginia Commonwealth's Eric Maynor.

Ty Lawson is more of a speedy version of Orlando's Jameer Nelson and will probably be a reliable PG in the NBA. He would help the Sixers at what they do best and that is score on fast breaks. Eric Maynor can also play up tempo but he is not necessarily considered a transition runner. He is seen more as a half court general. Maynor is Senior and a little more mature and probably better suited for 76ers Head Coach Eddie Jordan's complex schemes. His size helps him in other ways also. He is considered a better defender than Lawson. Also Jordan does not see the positions on the court in a traditional manner. So his style may dictate what is better. Speed and transition or length, point ability and athleticism.

With the Eddie Jordan view of positions it is hard to say what he thinks about the lackluster #2 shooting guard spot. Willie Green is clearly a bench player and he manned the Sixers "2" guard duties last season. Lou Williams who is still learning does not fair much better at the shooting guard. This is also why the Sixers need more offense.

Jeff Teague out of Wake Forest is considered a possible option as he is a quality perimeter player. He is compared to New Jersey's Devon Harris. He is projected as a combo guard. #1 or #2. But we already have that guy in the aforementioned Lou Williams. Louisville superstar Terrance Williams is a stud athlete who can play either guard and even be a swing-man. But we have 2 of them in Andre Iguodola and Thaddeus Young. UNC's Wayne Ellington has been mentioned as a possible choice due to his reputation as a pure shooting guard. He is a little small for a #2 by today's standards at 6'4". That also may explain why many regard him as one dimensional. A shooter and a shooter only. Ironically the 76ers could use that off their bench. But at the 17th pick with your overall needs, it would be silly to pick a bench player.

Then there are the other pure shooters touted highly around the NBA scouts. There is Merion, PA native and former Duke guard Gerald Henderson ho at 6'5" and Arizona State's James Harden. Harden will definitely be gone in the Top 10, maybe even Top 5. Henderson probably won't fall to 17.

Then there is 6'10" small forward Austin Daye from Gonzaga. He is a lanky 190 pds but with his athleticism and his shooting talents Jordan would not hesitate to use him in a guard like roll. Orlando had proven that ball handling bigs, like Turkoglu and Rashare Lewis, can create havoc. Daye can run transition. His problem is unlike the Orlando twin towers, he can be easily bumped of the ball and he cannot absorb NBA level contact due to his slight frame. He could grow out of that. So in the meantime maybe he could play away from the basket and create mismatches. But he may have trouble guarding smaller but stronger guards. He would have the speed and height but would lack the muscle. On paper the 76ers are also packed with bigs.

It should be noted that the recent acquisition of 3 point master Jason Kapono may mold the mindset of who to pick on Thursday. Kapono is money from beyond the arc. An area where Philadelphia was horrific at. He is the modern day Steve Kerr with a career 45% shooting from 3 land. But he is basically a specialist like Kerr. On a Championship level team, you need this guy. It is hard to say where it puts the Sixers. It will help nevertheless.

The curve ball in the 76ers draft is that all of the dogmatic talk of "we are definitely taking a guard has some wondering if the 76ers are looking at a big man. Some have suggested Ohio State's 7 footer B J Mullens is on the 76ers radar. Granted the Sixers are quickly growing tired of the underachieving of Samual Dalembert, but Mullens is very raw. Yeah he is big, but seriously he is a couple years away. He is even more green than Thabeet. But who knows sometimes right?

With 76ers track record I wouldn't be surprised if they took a no name goof who no one has ever heard of. But then again many of the names we have heard of on this draft are clearly hit or miss. The jump from the NCAA to the NBA is harder than many make it out ot be. I mean look at Lawson and Ellington for example. They played for the National Champs UNC and they are consider mid to late first rounders behind players I am not impressed with. 

So once again we in Philly will cross our fingers and fall to our knees in prayer to the NBA gods!