Deep Sixer

While one can’t always get a good gauge on a summer league, it’s at least a way that we can actually judge the 76ers draft picks in live action.
The Sixers rookies will be meeting Sunday night and begin practice on Monday for their extended summer league that begins July 6 in Las Vegas and then continues the next week in Utah.
It would be unwise to draw final conclusions on summer league, but it is a basis of comparison. Remember, Andre Iguodala looked almost lost as a rookie while competing for the Sixers in the Minnesota Summer League.
Iguodala was tentative shooting the ball and didn’t make many basket, especially when he would try a jumper.
Yet that below part performance in the summer didn’t stop Iguodala from starting all 82 games and five playoff contests as a rookie.
Still, it will be interesting to see the development of first round picks Thaddeus Young and Jason Smith.
It’s hoped that both can somehow be part of the rotation this year, but nobody knows for sure.
In fact second round picks Derrick Byars of Vanderbilt and Herbert Hill of Providence, are four-year college players who figure to be more advanced at this stage.
So the summer league should be watched closely, but with an open mind. There are many summer league phenoms who never pan out and others who don’t play well like Iguodala who turned out to be good pros.
At least though we can see the players in a professional setting and it all begins this week, where more there seems to be more interest in the Sixers rookie than in recent memory.

So with all the wheeling and dealing, the 76ers ended up with a glut of frontcourt players, probably two rookies too many, in a draft that offers promise, but also uncertainty.
Just because Georgia Tech freshman forward Thaddeus Young was considered a surprise pick, doesn’t mean he was a bad one.
The flip-flop of picks with Miami to acquire 7-foot Colorado State power forward Jason Smith gave the Sixers the power forward they desperately needed in this draft.
In two draft-day deals the Sixers got Vanderbilt swingman Derrick Byars and Providence forward-center Herbert Hill.
There is no way that there will be room for four rookies on the roster, but King said that things will work themselves out. In other words, if the second-rounders play well, they might be trade bait and if they don’t they will be ex-Sixers.
Even Young admitted he didn’t expect to be picked as high as 12th, but he is a player who got better as the year went on. And at 19-year-old, his better days are ahead.
The Sixers did try to trade up and president and general manger Billy King thought he had a deal with a team in the Top 7. He was looking for a power forward or a center and when all the elite ones were gobbled up in the Top 10, the Sixers went for the best available athlete.
Young averaged 14.4 points, shot well from the perimeter and showed a penchant to want to defend. The Sixers loved his character as much as his skill on the court.
Smith averaged 16.8 points and 10.1 rebounds and is great at running the floor. Whether he’s ready to be banging with other power forwards will be a key question.
Byars is somebody the Sixers got at 42. He was projected to be a first round pick, so there is decent value in the pick, even if there may not be a roster spot.
Hill is another banger who averaged 18.9 points and 9.8 rebounds for Providence.
We won’t get a better feel of these players until they compete in the Las Vegas Summer League beginning July 6.
So it’s not right to pan the draft, or to praise it either. One thing it seems the Sixers should have done was to recoup a No. 2 pick for the future. They traded their 2009 pick to Miami in the Smith deal and their No. 2 pick next season is owned by Golden State.
Other than that, let the players’ work on the court determine if this was a good draft or not.

Now it’s just a matter of waiting around. The Sixers are throwing a draft party here at the Wachovia Center and it remains to be seen whether there is something to celebrate about. The team is still working the phone, attempting to trade up from the No. 12 pick.
In a perfect world, the Sixers won’t have to trade anything more than the 12th and 21st pick to move up.
They should think twice about sending a future first round pick and if they do, they better make sure it’s lottery-protected.
Sixers president and general manager Billy King said he has a number of offers on the table and that some teams may want him to sweeten the pot.
Again, as much as the Sixers would like to draft an elite player worthy of a much higher choice than 12, they can’t give up the ranch to do it.
King has said he would not be disappointed to stay at 12. We’ll see if he means it.
In the next few hours we’ll know the direction the Sixers are heading.
There is more anticipation for this draft than any in recent memory, and not just from a Sixers perspective. It’s a deep draft, there are plenty of trade rumors (many not likely to happen) and teams feel they can truly improve with their picks this year.
The Sixers are one of those teams. The question remains, how many of their four choices will the Sixers keep?
It’s just one of the fascinating questions in this night that won’t be short on drama and suspense.

While we have been advocating the 76ers moving up to draft a power forward, maybe we had it wrong. Maybe they should stay at 12, if the price is too steep to move up, and take small forward Al Thornton.
Then the Sixers could get a power forward later in the draft. The Sixers were highly impressed with the workout on Wednesday of troubled Boston College 6-foot-10 forward Sean Williams. Sixers president and general manager Billy King said Williams was by far the most athletic player the team worked out in the pre-draft process.
Williams of course comes with considerable baggage. He was booted off the team at Boston College midway through the year for repeat violations of team rules.
NBA people say that if he keeps his head on straight that Williams is a sure-fire first-round talent. Certainly good enough to be taken at the 21st pick.
Yet the Sixers would have to weigh this very closely because this is a classic high-risk, high reward type of deal.
The Sixers want to be a better defensive team and Williams, who averaged five blocked shots at Boston College, would help in that area.
He won't turn 21 until September and it's possible that Williams won't be a regular rotation player right away. That's OK. Let the No. 12 pick (Thornton?) fill that role. If Williams can learn his first year, play a few minutes here and there and show that he can handle the life of an NBA player off the court, then he could be something in the future.
"He could be a future all-star," said former Sixers coach John Lucas, who has worked with Williams in Houston on his game and in helping him straighten out his life. "But he has a lot of work to do on and off the court before this can happen."
Usually teams that fare well in the draft, especially in the second part of the first round, take gambles. There would be few greater risks than selecting Williams, but it's probably something that the Sixers are at least mulling over at this late stage.

We all know the 76ers are looking to move up from the No. 12 pick in the NBA draft, but just because there is the desire, doesn’t mean it will happen.
Still, the Sixers wouldn’t be attempting to set up a trip to New York on Thursday morning, the day of the draft, to watch one final workout and interview some high level prospects.
The NBA invites what it perceives to be the 15 top players to New York. The Sixers haven’t gotten a lot of upper echelon players to visit for pre-draft workouts because the top players don’t want to go to teams that aren’t in the Top 7-9 picks.
Sixers president and general manager Billy King says he is just doing his homework by seeing as many players as possible before the draft.
It will also be interesting to see if he does part with the 12th and 21st pick to move up.
King says discussions with other teams so far have only included swapping picks, but he added that he might have to sweeten the deal.
One thing the Sixers should avoid at all cost is surrendering their 2008 first round pick. Of course they may want to part with their 2006 first-rounder – Rodney Carney - who is one of the few players that teams may realistically be able to get.
Every team inquires about Andre Iguodala and Kyle Korver, but those two aren’t going anywhere..
So there will be plenty of offers and the Sixers no doubt are looking for a power forward type if they move up.
Memphis at No. 4 doesn’t seem married to its pick, but it would take a lot to pry it away. Boston at No. 5 is looking to trade that pick, but the Sixers don’t appear to have what the Celtics need – quality veterans to deal.
Milwaukee at No. 6, Minnesota at No. 7, Charlotte at No. 8 and Chicago at No. 9 are other possible trading partners although anybody in the Top 10 will drive a hard bargain. (Earlier we wrote that Milwaukee doesn’t seem inclined to deal and that may still be the case, but the pulse of a team changes hourly leading up to the draft).
King says there will be a lot of trading activity and the Sixers would love to be in the center of it.
The Sixers could stay at No. 12, but if they do so, they might have to reassess their needs. Instead of going for a power forward, they might have to go small forward, where Florida State’s Al Thornton appears to be the safest choice. The fact that Thornton was measured 6-5 ½ in bare feet lends true meaning to the word small forward.
Whether they move up or not, it would be surprising if the Sixers didn’t add a power forward to the roster. They are bringing in LSU’s rising Glen “Big Baby” Davis for a second pre-draft workout and they also like Colorado State’s 7-0 Jason Smith.
One thing that would help the Sixers at power forward is to re-sign Joe Smith, but nobody knows what the market will bear for somebody who was a positive influence on and off the court for the Sixers.
That is why it’s important for the Sixers to get a power forward from this draft who is ready to step in the rotation. Trading up would be the best way to do it, but that is much easier said than done.

President and general manager Billy King has been pretty open about the fact that the 76ers want to move up from the 12th pick in the NBA draft. In that regard, the Sixers will have plenty of company.
So that brings the question, what if the Sixers can’t move up? Are there viable options at No. 12 to bring a key rotation player on board?
The Sixers would ideally like a power forward. That’s why the team is still trying to see Florida’s Joakim Noah in a private workout.
It’s possible that the Sixers would have to move as high as fourth to draft Noah and odds of that happening at least for now, aren’t in their favor.
So if the Sixers don’t move up, it appears as if they might have to think a little smaller – as in small forward instead of power forward.
While people can’t put too much stock into mock drafts (including the one done by yours truly) they at least some sort of guide on how the draft may go.
And in recent mocks, two players who could be at 12, will happen to visit Philadelphia in successive days. Is that a coincidence?
Florida State forward Al Thornton had a pre-draft workout on Monday and Kansas forward Julian Wright is coming to town on Tuesday.
Both are 6-foot-8. Each is athletic and one is much older, while the other was considered sort of an underachiever, but might have the better long range potential.
Wright turned 20 in May, while Thornton will be 24 in early December. The Sixers aren’t scared about having a 24-year-old rookie, but if the two players are equal, one would like the younger more athletic type.
Yet Thornton, a four-year player at Florida State, was much more effective on the court, averaging 19.7 points and 7.2 rebounds. Wright, who is departing after his sophomore year, averaged 12 points while shooting 54.9 percent from the field. What this shows is that Wright was often content to play a complimentary role, even though he has the talent to take over games. He averaged just 9.1 shots per game.
If somebody can be accused of being too unselfish, it’s Wright. Obviously after averaging just 10.4 points in his two-year career, NBA people in his corner are banking on the fact that he will be a much better pro than college player.
Some feel that as a four-year player, that Thornton has peaked, but he suggests otherwise, saying that his gave can grow.
Scouts like Thornton’s tenacity and how well he battled. There is also something to be said about somebody who averaged just 2.8 points per game as a freshman and 9.1 as a sophomore. After averaging 16.1 points as a junior, he thought about leaving school.
“But I wasn’t ready,” Thornton said.
That type of maturity gives him high grades.
And that’s not to say that Wright isn’t mature. It’s just that he is short on seasoning, but not talent.
So either player would be an intriguing pick for the Sixers, who place a high emphasis on meeting potential draft picks before selecting them.
Now they will get to compare both players and have a more informed decision. This is not to suggest that the Sixers would pick either, but if one or both are still available and the Sixers haven’t traded up from 12, it’s hard to see them passing the chance to take either Thornton or Wright.

Now it appears as if the 76ers have changed their tune (or at least their public stance) and will try to move up for a pick higher than No. 12 in Thursday’s draft.
President and general manager Billy King says the Sixers are looking at that option and that there are viable possibilities.
King stopped after that, so it’s now up to our imagination to see where the Sixers could move up.
It’s no secret that Atlanta with the third and 11th pick is looking to make a trade. Atlanta needs a point guard and King himself said there was a rumor that the Sixers would trade Andre Miller and the No. 12 pick for the No. 3 selection.
King laughed it off, but actually it’s a trade from the Hawks perspective that makes a lot of sense. Atlanta could do much worse than having Miller at the point, but from this vantage point, the Sixers would need more than just the No. 3 pick in return.
The problem with the Sixers situation is that unless they are willing to deal Miller, they have very few other tradable assets, especially since they refuse to part with Andre Iguodala.
A team that is looking to deal its pick is Boston at No. 5, but again, the Sixers don’t match up well with the Celtics. Milwaukee at No. 6 doesn’t seem inclined to deal. Minnesota, once again deep into Kevin Garnett trade rumors, would possibly part with the choice, but would the Wolves want the Sixers’ No. 12 and 21 pick for No. 7? That might be too steep for the Sixers, unless there is somebody at No. 7 they absolutely see as an impact player. Yet as one source said, Minnesota can’t worry about swapping picks until they explore all options with Garnett.
Charlotte at No. 8 might be interested in trading the pick, according to sources, but the Bobcats, who also have the 22nd choice in the first round, are always looking for some payroll relief. Charlotte’s Gerald Wallace can opt out of his contract and shooting guard Matt Carroll of Hatboro-Horsham is a free agent.
Maybe the Bobcats wouldn’t mind trading down for some extra picks. If the Sixers offered No. 12 and No. 30 for No. 8, that probably wouldn’t get it done, but could be a starting point.
Chicago at No. 9 would be another potential suitor for the Sixers, but a source familiar with the Bulls situation says they are right now bogged down in the Garnett and Kobe Bryant trade rumors and have not believed to have talked to the Sixers as of yet.
Chicago is looking for more of a veteran presence, but the Bulls appear to like two of the players that the Sixers have targeted – Georgetown forward Jeff Green and Chinese power forward Yi Jianlian.
If Chicago is involved, the Sixers would likely have to swap picks and add a No. 1 or No. 2 pick in the future. Chicago doesn’t need any more young players now. Since the Chicago and the Sixers swapped picks last year in the first round, it can’t be discounted.
Sacramento at No. 10 would likely only swap with the Sixers if the Kings knew that they could get a player they really wanted at No. 12.
It seems the most realistic options for the Sixers would be Atlanta, Minnesota and Charlotte, but anything is possible in what should be a wild draft.
The Sixers could stand pat and make settle for somebody such as Florida State forward Al Thornton, which would be a boost to the offense and not much of one to the defense. Or the Sixers could roll the dice and look to move up if they truly feel there is an impact player.
In this draft, they have to get somebody who will be a significant rotation player in the 2007-2008 season. It appears as if the Sixers are beginning to believe that person doesn’t exist at the No. 12 pick.

This is the time of year when NBA teams often send out false signals in order to trick their opponents prior to the draft. In other words, there are a lot of liars out there. With that said, there is no disputing the fact that the Sixers are impressed with Yi Jianlian, the 6-foot-11 Chinese forward with the fluid shooting touch.
The Sixers saw him in China and went out to Los Angeles to view a private workout. President and general manager Billy King says he’s not worried about the cultural change, saying that Yi is more advanced at this stage in knowing English than Yao Ming was. And we all see how well Yao has adapted in Houston.
If Yi is there at No. 12, it appears as if the Sixers wouldn’t hesitate to pick him, but the big question is whether he will be there or more importantly, would the Sixers try to trade up for him or somebody else who they like such as Georgetown forward Jeff Green.
King has said that there is parity in this draft after the first two picks and he’d be wary about moving up when there could be a player of equal ability at No. 12.
And there should be a decent player at 12. It seems that Yi has a chance to be better than a good player, but nobody really knows for sure.
It’s interesting that players such as Yi and Kansas forward Julian Wright, who even a week ago wouldn’t have even been mentioned being near 12, might be.
The one team that hasn’t hidden its affection for Yi is Golden State. With a large Asian community, Yi would fit in well with the Warriors. Yet Golden State selects 18th and would have some parts to dangle (Jason Richardson or less expensive options such as Andris Biedrins or even Monta Ellis).
How far Golden State would have to move up for a shot at Yi is the big question. Boston at No. 5, Atlanta at No. 3 and 11, Chicago at No. 9 and Sacramento at No. 10 are among the teams that could have interest.
The Sixers don’t have as many realistic chips to trade up. Every team asks about Andre Iguodala, but the Sixers won’t move him. And teams love the outside shooting that Kyle Korver provides, but so do the Sixers.
So with limited options, it might be tough to move up in the draft because the Sixers seem reluctant to package the 12th and 21st pick to move up a few spots. This could all change as the June 28 draft draws near.

When the 76ers brass is asked about its plans for the June 28th draft, the question is usually accompanied by the answer, "I don't know."
This is not sandbagging. At this point, the Sixers truly don't know what direction they are headed. They will have all their scouts in next week for a conference, where they will get everybody's evaluation of the players. After this, the situation will be a little clearer.
Still, the Sixers aren't totally sure of things until they finish their pre-draft workouts and they could last all the way up until the day before the draft.
Here's one thing that is essential from the draft - the Sixers have four picks in the first 38 and need to come out of this with two players who can contribute in some way next season. They don't have to be starters, but at least part of the rotation.
While it's possible the Sixers could trade for a player, the most likely scenario seems to be dealing draft picks.
President and general manager Billy King has said that the team likely won't add four rookies to next year's roster. The Sixers could draft a foreign player and allow him to stay overseas. They also could deal some picks to move up, but that is a risky proposition unless there is definitely a player they have targeted.
It seems if the Sixers have their choice, they would keep the No. 12 and 21 pick and deal No. 30 and 38 for future picks. (In the salary cap era, trading a player for a pick is virtually impossible since most teams are over the cap).
The big question is whether the Sixers want to move up and how much would they value trading even two to four places in the draft.
Would they surrender their No. 12 and 21 pick, for say the right to select eighth or ninth? Right now nobody knows.
All we do know is that the Sixers have received a number of trade offers for some combination of the first round picks.
And the offers will keep coming. King isn't blowing smoke when he said if a trade is made, it likely would happen draft day, especially when teams are dealing picks.
So for now, the Sixers are to be believed when they say they don't know which way they are going. After the conference with all their scouts, things should be a little more clear, but still awfully cloudy until draft day when teams stop playing chicken and begin to make real offers.

College underclassmen who have entered the NBA draft but haven't hired an agent face a decision that will not only affect their immediate future but that of teams like the 76ers as well. These underclassmen have until June 18 to decide whether to become pros or go back to college.
And the Sixers will be holding their collective breath, especially concerning two players who they had individual workouts with - Georgetown junior forward Jeff Green and Washington freshman center Spencer Hawes.
Both players have impressed the Sixers and although it's possible both won't be around when the Sixers pick at 12. If either is around, the Sixers would likely strongly consider taking one or the other.
Even if the Sixers don't take Hawes or Green, if both return to college, it weakens the draft. It would be a surprise if either returned to college, especially since Green and Hawes have impressed the teams they have worked out for.
Both are not only good basketball players, but are high character, intelligent young men. Green could become a true lock-down defender at the three-spot, allowing Andre Iguodala to play the two-guard.
Hawes is a rare commodity in college - a true low post presence. Sixers president and GM Billy King says that Hawes, despite just turning 19 in April, could earn immediate minutes in the NBA. How many minutes would depend on his development.
Without Green and Hawes in the draft, it moves two non-lottery picks into the lottery. Picking 12th is difficult enough, but having to do it without two promiment players is worse. The Sixers and other late-picking lottery teams were dealt a blow when Georgetown center Roy Hibbert pulled out of the draft. Hibbert was considered a late lottery pick.
So no matter how strong this draft is, it would be seriously weakened without Green or Hawes.
While the Sixers would be fortunate if either is available when they pick at No. 12, it's as important that they are there for somebody to choose so the draft can maintain its depth.

WASHINGTON -- The private workout with the 76ers at Georgetown's McDonough Arena was closed to the media, but it was clear how impressed the Sixers were with what they saw of Georgetown 6-9 junior Jeff Green.
Since he hasn't hired an agent, Green could still pull out of the NBA draft by the June 18 deadline.
Green said that how he does in the workouts will have a lot to do with whether he stays or not. If that is the case, look for him to stay in the draft.
Sixers president and general manager Billy King said that Green played well on the court, and tested off-the-charts in his interviews.
That is no surprise. In the Orlando pre-draft camp when the top prospects met the media, Green was the most poised and articulate person in the interview room.
He is known as a high character type of person, something that came through when he talked to Sixers officials after the workout.
"He is very skilled and everything we saw in his game, we saw it more here," King said. "More impressively is the type of kid he is."
Green plays defense, is unselfish sometimes to a fault offensively and is the type of high character person that NBA teams desire.
And when asked if he would be disappointed to slip to the Sixers' No. 12 pick, Green never flinched.
I will be satisfied wherever I go," he said. "Whatever team picks me, I will have to give 110 percent."
Green has a few workouts next week before deciding whether to stay in the draft or not. It would be a surprise if he returned to Georgetown, even though his classmate, center Roy Hibbert recently pulled out of the NBA draft.
Green said a big factor in his decision will be how he does in his individual workouts. With the way the Sixers were glowing, he more than passed the test. And it's becoming increasingly clear that if the Sixers target Green, they will have to move up in the draft to secure his services.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- There were five players with local roots who particated at the NBA pre-draft camp at Disney's Wide World of Sports. Of the five, the one with the best showing was Mustafa Shakur, an Arizona senior point guard who attended Philadelphia's Friends Central. Shakur averaged 11.3 points, 4.7 assists and 2.3 turnvers. This was his second straight year at the camp. He has a calm presence directing an offense that is expected of a four-year starter in such a high profile program.
It was a solid performance, but it still appears as if Shakur won't vault into the first round of the June 28 NBA draft. He could be the highest player with local roots selected.
Notre Dame shooting guard Russell Carter averaged 8 points, but didn't shoot as well as he is capable (9 for 22). Carter also has second-round potential.
Villanova forward Curtis Sumpter didn't help himself at the camp. Sumpter struggled with his shot (3 for 18) and averaged 3.3 points. Scouts were wary before the camp of his knee, but Sumpter showed no physical problems. And he did defend well.
"What I like about him is he knows how to play," one scout said.
That won't guarantee that Sumpter will be drafted but he should be in some NBA camp.
Temple senior guard Dustin Salisbery didn't get involved much offensively, averaging 2.7 points, but he was among the better defenders in the camp.
And finally there was Virginia junior point guard Sean Singletary, a graduate of Philadelphia's Penn Charter. Singletary hasn't hired and agent and could pull out of the draft by the June 18 deadline. He showed great quickness, but was also inconsistent, with 10 assists, 10 turnovers and 10 personal fouls.
If he returns to Virginia next year, he would be among the top point guards in the country.
The camp showed how difficult it is to play in the NBA. All of these local players are talented, but none of them, at the moment faces good odds of being in the league next year.

LAKE BUENA VISTA, Fla. -- The 76ers didn't expect to find any true gems at the NBA pre-draft camp because so many players had pulled out. This camp, which concludes today, is being called one of the weakest pre-draft classes.
The Sixers have three first-round picks, No. 12, 21 and 30 and also one second-rounder, 38th overall.
"This camp is more for looking at players who may be around 30," said Tony DiLeo, the Sixers senior vice president, basketball operations. "There are some players here who we like who could possibly help us at 30 or 38 and will bring in some for a workout."
Last year only two players from the pre-draft camp were first rounders and this season there may not even be that many.
What the Sixers did at this camp was eliminate players from their list. Nobody has stood out and taken this camp by storm the first two days although Syracuse 6-8 senior Demetris Nichols has shot extremely well.
Still, this was more of a place for teams to begin initial trade discussions since representatives from every NBA franchise are here
Executives at the camp agree that there should be a lot of dealing on draft day and the Sixers, with four picks could be very active.
And don't expect the Sixers to tip their hand as to which players they like.
Plus, who knows what to believe anyway. There will be so many rumors and flat-out lies that nobody will know what to believe until a team actually selects a player.