The Philadelphia 76ers, despite countless rumors circling about what President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey was going to do in the first round, decided to stay put and select VJ Edgecombe with the third pick.
The former Baylor guard is projected to be one of the best defenders in this draft and will surely make an impact immediately for a Sixers team that won just 24 games last season. That being said, the Sixers are not done with their draft yet.
The second round of the draft starts tonight at 8:00 p.m. Eastern, and the Sixers have the 35th overall pick, meaning they will be picking early in the second round. With tons of talent still left on the board, here are three guys the Sixers should seriously consider taking when their pick comes around.
Rasheer Fleming, PF, St. Joseph’s
Somewhat of a surprise to have fallen in the second round, St. Joe’s Rasheer Fleming is an intriguing power forward prospect with fantastic size, standing over 6-foot-9 with a massive wingspan of over 7-foot-5. More than his size, Fleming’s two-way ability is as important as any trait for the Camden, NJ native.
Fleming shot 39.0% from three on 4.5 attempts while also averaging 1.5 blocks and 1.4 steals per game last season. With a desperate need for a power forward, any power forward, to be able to add a true 3-and-D threat. — Ciavolella
Noah Penda, F, France
A dream scenario for the Sixers is close to coming true in the second round. Noah Penda, a forward for Le Mans in France, has yet to hear his name called. Penda was seen by many as a mid to late first-round prospect, yet he did not hear his name called.
The 20-year-old forward is one of those guys who wants to put in the hard work and do the little things for his team. This past season for Le Mans, he averaged 5.1 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game. He will need to keep improving as a shooter as he only shot 30.6% from beyond the arc, but finding a young player who is willing to do whatever he can to help his team win in the second round may be too good to pass up. — Barnett
Adou Thiero, F, Arkansas
Philadelphia has worked diligently to rebuild their team around the concept of hard work and dedication, as seen with the additions of Tyrese Maxey, Jared McCain, and most recently, VJ Edgecombe. Arkansas’ Adou Thiero also fits that description to a T.
Considered a potential first-round pick, Thiero stands out thanks to his toughness, finishing ability, and defensive prowess. While he’s still a work in progress and has much to improve on, particularly in the offensive half-court, Thiero is a tenacious defender who is capable of being a multi-positional defender similar to Edgecombe. Thanks to his larger size, standing over 6-foot-6 with a 7-foot wingspan, he can slide up against larger competition defensively. — Ciavolella
Chaz Lanier, SG, Tennessee
On one hand, the Sixers have an overabundance of guards on the roster for this upcoming season, especially after the addition of V.J. Edgecombe. On the other hand, Chaz Lanier is a special shooter and should be considered just for that reason.
The former Tennessee guard averaged 20.6 points a night for the Volunteers on nearly 40% shooting from three. While he may find himself stuck behind the Sixers plethora of guards, his shotmaking and seemingly limitless range should make him at least worth a look at pick 35 for the Sixers. As long as Joel Embiid is the cornerstone of this Sixers squad, there can never be too much shooting on the roster. — Barnett
Maxime Raynaud, C, Stanford
As is the case with Rasheer Fleming, it’s difficult to see Maxime Raynaud last until the 35th pick. The Stanford center is a legitimate floor spacer, shooting 34.7 percent from beyond the arc on 5.5 three-point attempts per game while also making 77% of his free throws last season.
He also made 77.0 % of his free throws, a positive indicator. Evaluators believe in his ability to knock down shots at his size, and that provides a strong baseline. Despite his 7-foot-1 size, questions around Raynaud’s ability to defend in the paint linger. He’ll need to add some muscle, but more importantly, Raynaud will need to improve his rim-protecting skills to prove he can anchor an NBA defense at the next level. — Ciavolella
Alex Toohey, F, Australia
Alex Toohey is another international prospect whom the Sixers should consider early in the second round. The Australian forward is an efficient scorer who averaged 10.6 points per night on 44.9% field goal percentage. He has shown the ability to drive and shoot, though he did struggle from deep this year, as he only shot 30.6% from long range this year.
The 6’7″ forward should be able to get some run at both forward positions with the Sixers, given their needs. With a smooth shot and decent size, Toohey could look to become Georges Niang 2.0 for the Sixers. With that, though, he may have the height, but it has yet to be seen if he has the necessary strength to truly be a stretch-four at the next level.
While none of these prospects are perfect players, they all provide serious skills to whatever team drafts them. Should the Sixers stay at No. 35 and make the pick, there are a ton of quality players left on the board with a combination of potential and Day 1 impact. Hopefully, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey can, once again, find another diamond in the second round of the draft. After all, that has been his specialty since joining the Sixers. — Barnett
Bogolijub Marković, PF, Serbia
Bogolijub Marković is one of the more interesting second-round prospects in this year’s draft. A 6-foot-10.5 power forward with a well-rounded offensive game, Marković is capable of spreading the floor with a reliable three-point shot and offers intriguing upside as a playmaking big.
Defensively, Marković is both a bit small, weighing just 213 pounds, and slow, meaning that he is unlikely to become a truly impactful defender. Still, as we’ve seen with other bigs of a similar archetype, his defensive shortcomings may not keep him off the court if his offensive production can carry him. — Ciavolella
