To cap off one of the best drafts in recent Sixers history, the team selected Isaiah Joe with one of their second-round picks. While the additions of Tyrese Maxey and Seth Curry are both worthy of being excited about, Daryl Morey found a way to add another sniper with the 49th overall pick who has the potential to make an impact.
Isaiah Joe is a familiar name for the Sixers organization as the team was rumored to have promised for him to be the selection him going into the draft.
This rumor has made its way around NBA circles for a few weeks but really picked up traction this week. Despite this “promise” the Sixers rightfully selected Tyrese Maxey with the 21st pick and traded the 34th pick in order to get rid of Al Horford (and his dreadful contract). Surprisingly enough, Isaiah Joe remained on the board toward the end of the second round and the Sixers pulled the trigger with the 49th pick.
Overview
The first thing that comes to mind when talking about Isaiah Joe is his ability to shoot the basketball. Joe spent two seasons at Arkansas before declaring for the draft this year. He was one of the biggest contributors on the team both seasons and took several strides forward in his sophomore season.
This season, Joe averaged 16.9 points along with 4.1 rebounds and 1.4 steals. He stands at 6’5 with a wingspan around 7 feet. Joe also shot 34.2% on a ridiculous 10.6 attempts per game. He can shoot off screens, create his own shot, and at times knocked down threes off nearly a sprint. While he is not known for his playmaking, Joe is a solid passer within the flow of an offense that can make the right read.
On the defensive side of the ball, Joe flashes great lateral quickness and a willingness to fight through screens to follow his man. At 180 pounds, he is fairly slight of frame which raised concerns throughout the draft process. He certainly could get exploited for his lack of strength and adding some pounds would go a long way for his ability to handle NBA minutes
Fit on Sixers
The city of Philadelphia called for guys to space the floor- and Daryl Morey delivered. Isaiah Joe likely won’t be counted on to contribute major minutes immediately, but he could develop into a real role with the team. The willingness he shows to shoot the ball from deep will be a welcomed breath of fresh air on the Sixers roster.
The selection of Isaiah Joe was one of the final moves to secure what was undoubtedly a bright day for the future of the Sixers. The sluggish days of being swept by the Celtics are hopefully over as Daryl Morey took his first major steps in putting his fingerprints on the franchise. Times are changing and adding a floor-spacing wing is a direct example of this.
Photo by Rich von Biberstein/Icon Sportswire
