FanPost

NBA Draft 2014 Big Board and Analysis

I read a lot of the posts on the main page and enjoy reading other fan's thoughts about the draft and where this team may go in the future. Just like everyone else I could not have been happier after seeing the moves Hinkie made on draft day last year to shape this team's future. For the first time in a long time the Sixers have a plan. I won't say that this draft is the end all be all for their current rebuild because next year could prove equally fruitful to the long term vision of this team. With that said, this draft could provide the Sixers wiith some equally important foundation pieces if not more than last year's draft. So, I wanted to put up a big board/prospect list of my own to look at what's available for the Sixers in this year's draft and who may provide the best fits.

2014 Draft Big Board Prospects 1-20:

1) Andrew Wiggins (SF/SG) - 6'8" 200 lbs 7'0" wingspan 19 years old

Wiggins is the superior athlete all NBA teams covet to build around. He had his ups and down this year at Kansas. He flashed the potential to be a big time scorer and to do it efficiently. He looked graceful in transition and at times looked like a lock down perimeter defender. He had his struggles in half court sets and sometimes looked too mechanic when going to the rim. Wiggins needs to improve his ball handling and consistency when shooting. He has the upside of All NbA performer on both ends of the court which is the reason he is number one on the board. He fits perfectly with the Sixers who are in desperate need of a wing player with his abilities. Wiggins is why you tank a season he is the prize.

2) Joel Embiid (C) - 7'0" 250 lbs 7'5" wingspan 20 years old

Embiid has demonstrated post skills most centers never have. His ability score, pass, shoot, and defend are all clear cut above the rest. If you're drafting Embiid you do so to run your offense through him in low and high post. Defensively he blocks shots and moves well. He needs to rebound a litle but his with his size that should not be a problem once he is more familiar out on the court. Most of his deficiencies right now are spacing where to be on both ends of the court. One day he could be the best center in the league on both ends and more All NBA teams than he could count on his fingers. Everything starts and ends with the back issue. If healthy come draft time he should be the number one pick for almost any team. If not healthy I think he's the fourth best prospect. For the Sixers he wouldn't be a bad consolation prize with Wiggins, Parker, and Exum gone. Could he play next to Noel? I dont know the answer to that question yet, but where there is risk there is also great reward.

3) Dante Exum (SG/PG) - 6'6" 188 lbs 6'9.25" wingspan 18 years old

Exum is long and a great athlete. He possess great speed in the open court and an excellent ball handler. Has a great first step, smooth finisher at the rim, and a good catch and shoot shooter. He plays PG now mainly because hes the best player on the court for his national and high school teams. Exum has all the attributes to play the two in the NBA at an all-star level. He is not always consistent shooting, but he has a good looking shot. He's the international man of mystery and at this point avoided all of the scrunity the other top guys have endured at the college level so far. Could be a franchise player if he develops a consistent jumper and for the Sixers would give them unrivaled length and defensive ability in the back court. If Wiggins is off the board hes the best two way wing player left.

4) Jabari Parker (SF/PF) - 6'8.5" 240 lbs 6'11.5" wingspan 19 years old

Parker has the best offensive arsenal in the draft. He can shoot from distance, put the ball on the floor, score in the post, and shoot from midrange. He was one of the best rebounder in college basket ball last year. The main issue with Parker is defense. His footwork leaves a lot to be desired and sometimes the effort wasn't there. The most telling thing was his own coach pulled him off the floor at the end of close games on defense. He will never be a great defender, but if he can at least be average to slighly below average that will be a nice improvement. With that said, he still will mainly play the three at the next level at least for the first couple of years in the league and see some time as a small ball four. For the Sixers he would come in as easily the best offensive threat for the team and provide that much needed scoring punch. Maybe a better conditioning program helps him get more of an NBA body that allows the defense to improve. He has the highest floor of the top four players and if the other four players in the lineup he is in are all good defenders, his deficiencies may matter less.

5) Marcus Smart (PG) 6'4" 225 lbs 6'8" wingspan 20 years old

His season will most be remembered for his incident involving a fan, but I doubt that will change his draft position much. Smart is off the chart with intangibles. He was the team leader and always played ferociously. He excels on defense and transition. He has the tools to be a big time contributor. His shooting needs work, mainly his three point shooting. Struggles with shot selection at times and could be a better distributor. He will get to the basket at will and is strong enough to take the contact. This should give him ample attempts to get to the free throw line which will help his scoring average. If I am a team without a PG thats at least a fringe all star Marcus Smart is the guy at five. As for the Sixers he doesn't really fit in a back court with another point guard that is not a good shooter. If he is available at ten though he is too good to pass up at that point. LA, the Kings, Celtics, and Magic should all covet this guy.

6) Aaron Gordon (SF/PF) - 6'9" 220 lbs 6'11" wingspan 18 years old

In four years Aaron Gordon could be the best player in the draft or the biggest disappointment. His potential is enormous and he may never get there. Gordon is an excellent rebounder, defender, and passer. He can block shots and run in transition. His free throw shooting is horrendous and he needs to shoot at least around 60% in order to be on the floor in crunch time. His three point shooting was actually pretty effective after a long streak of not making any although the amount of shots is relatively low. He's great around the basket and in the air. Should score a fairly good amount of points from offensive rebounds turned into putbacks and ally oops. If he can learn to shoot at least open jumpers he will be a very good player. Anything better than that shooting wise is gravy as far as im concerned. His shooting ability will also dictate his position in the NBA and I feel he is best suited at SF. He will be a terror for wing players he defends and I think he could be bullied down low by bigger players which is why I don't think he plays PF. For the Sixers he is a steal at ten and I would even consider trading up for him depending who is the first pick.

7) Noah Vonleh (PF) - 6'10" 240 lbs 7'3" wingspan 18 years old

Vonleh is a very long and young player. He has the ability to be a very good player ion both ends. He needs some time to develop, but he may turn out to be the best all around player at the four in this draft. Needs some work to develop a post game and needs to refine his shooting some more. He already shows the ability to step out to the three point line and shoot efficiently. Has a developing mid range game and can block shots on defense. He rebounds well, but could be better with his size. He can get imto foul trouble and that kept him off the floor in some of his games. I don't think he was used well enough in college and think he should stretch the floor in the NBA. For the Sixers he would be the best compliment for Noel and would be a good on defense. He is a good team player and I don't think he will ever be a star player, but may be an over qualified role player.

8) Julius Randle (PF) - 6'9" 250 lbs 6'11" wingspan 19 years old

Randle is a beast on the glass on both ends and does a lot of his scoring at the rim on putbacks and being a bully. He has short arms and that will hurt him to a degree if he cannot develop a good face up game. Randle has some post moves he uses well and looks great in transition. A big issue for him is going to be will he draw enough fouls. He has a good handle for his size and if you draft him he's the kind post player who an offense runs through. He has shown the ability recently to be a good and willing passer out of the post to open shooters which if he continues to work at will make him a very eggective player and make teams think twice before doubling him. He has competed on defense and can stay in front of his man, but lacks the reach to be a shot blocker on that end when he gets beat. Randle can get in to foul trouble because of the style he plays. I think he can fit on the Sixers in the front court, but I don't think you can win with guys like him if he doesn't develop a face up game or passing ability that is very effective. I don't think he can be the best player on a winning team.

9) Dario Saric (SF/PF) - 6'10" 220 lbs 6'10" wingspan 20 years old

Saric is such an interesting prospect because of his size and abilities. He rebounds very well, has great vision, some good post moves, and can take guys off the dribble. He moves well off the ball and finishes well. He is a project defensively and struggles shooting. He has the height to defend the four, but really lacks the strength needed and isn't quick or athletic en8ugh to guard the three. His shot really does need some work to be consistent. He really is a unique offensive weapon and would create matchup problems. If the sixers grab Saric at ten I wouldn't be against it and I love to see if they can fix his shooting issues. The only problem would be to figure out where he plays and if surrounded with a strong defense team I think he can be a four.

10) Gary Harris (SG) - 6'5" 210 lbs 6'7" wingspan 20 years old

Prototype two guard on both ends. He defends his position very well and is a big threat for steals. He shoots the three, midrange, and can drive. He's good at the line and rebounds well for his size. He has the ability to be a good passer and doesn't turn the ball over at a high rate. If he shoots the ball with consistency he will be a major asset at a position that is shallow in the NBA. I like him for the Sixers to take some of the scoring burden off of MCW and also as a catch and shoot player. I don't like to use player comps, but I see him as a less athletic Bradley Beal. Outside of shooting consistency his only big flaw is he is not an above the rim type of guard.

11) Zach Lavine (SG) - 6'5" 180 lbs 6'8" wingspan 19 years old

Great finisher and three point shooter. Has tremendous athleticism. Not very good on defense at the moment, but has the tools to improve. Has a quick first step and is a great leaper. Moves fantastically in transition and can thrown down with the best of them. Not a good distributor, but doesn't turn the ball over. Good not great ball handler. The ball looks great coming out of his hand. He has tons of upside it's just going to take him time to get there. If the Sixers decide Lavine is worth a gamble at some point in the draft I think he compliments MCW very well and has better upside than the other two guards not named Exum.

12) Kyle Anderson (PG/SF) - 6'8.5" 230 lbs 7'2.5" wingspan 20 years old

Anderson is such a unique player and possess skills most men his size only dream about. He's a fantasic rebounder and passer. He is average at the line and shot efficiently last year in college. He is not a very athletic player and relies on his basketball IQ to beat players. His length allows him to play in the post against smaller defenders. He doesn't really have a defined position in the classical sense and isn't the best jump shooter. He excels as a primary playmaker. He has big questions about whether he can drive against more athletic players and finish through contact. I don't think he fits the Sixers unless he bulked up and played as a stretch four which I'm not sure he can do. I think he's best suited as a PG due to his vision and could split his time between the one and three.

13) Nik Stauskas (SG) - 6'6" 205 lbs 6'7" wingspan 20 years old

He is an excellent shooter all over the court. Stauskas can handle the ball well and could serve as a secondary playmaker or spot up shooter. He struggles to defend. I think his biggest issue outside of that is going to be creating his own shot against very athletic defenders. He was a good driver and finisher in college and if asked to be a secondary scorer with a team that can space the floor he will be fine. I like him for the Sixers because of his elite shooting ability at the two. He's another guy who you can hide on defense with a strong defensive team and would love MCW kicking out to him on drives.

14) Tyler Ennis (PG) - 6'2" 180 lbs 6'5" wingspan 19 years old

He is a very good playmaker and a true one. Good in the P & R and has excellent ball handling ability. He dictates the way both teams will play and has a tremendous amount of poise for a young guard. Can make every pass. Played well on defense at Cuse, but need to see him play out of the zone. He isn't a great athlete and will struggle to creqte his own shot. Uses a floater, but struggles to finish in the paint. Isn't a good jump shooter. With alk that said I think he can be a point guard for a long time in the league because he knows how to run a team. He will never be a big scorer and probably never make an all star team. The Sixers have a PG and would not take Ennis.

15) Clint Capela (PF/C) - 6'11" 220lbs 7'4.5" wingspan 19 years old

He has great size and a really really good athlete. Terrific rebounder. Pretty good finisher around the rim and has a good first step. Pretty raw on offense and has a ways to go, but could be well worth the wait. Doesn't have much a semblance of a jumper and wouldn't be a threat from outside. Not a good free throw shooter. He can block shots, but isn't prolific. For the Sixers if they get a late teens pick or later I think he's worth a gamble with that size and athleticism. Could end up never being anything more than a back up big or an all star if things pan out for him.

16) James Young (SG/SF) - 6'7" 200 lbs 6'11" wingspan 18 years old

He has prototypical size for a wing and can play either spot. Big time shooter who shot inconsistently in college, but has a good stroke. He gets separation to shoot and when he gets going can be lights out. Not a ball handler or creater. Good enough athlete and could be a plus defender. He rebounds enough for if he plays the two. He has really good potential and could be a steal if he's taken in the late teens or early twenties. I like him for the Sixers could be a good wing for them.

17) PJ Hairston (SG) - 6'5.5" 230 lbs 6'9.5" wingspan 21 years old

He has good size for his position and could play on any team. Has a really good looking shot and is a good shooter from all over. Terrific from the line. Attacks the rim aggressively and gets to the line which will help his scoring average. Could be a really good defender if he gives the effort. Is good at moving around on offense, but isn't much of a passer. He is mostly a jump shooter. He's another guy who would fit on the Sixers on both ends and give them shooting. I like him and think he won't be picked high because of what happened at UNC and probably goes in the mid twenties.

18) Jusuf Nurkic (C) - 6'11.5" 280 lbs 7'2" wingspan 19 years old

He's absolutely huge, but doesnt get a lot of minutes. He's a really good rebounder and should do well in the post. He probably needs to get in better shape because 280 will too havy to play an NBA season and be on the court a lot. Not a great athlete. He plays so little, but he is impressive an could end up being an above averge center for the next ten years in the league. Sixers don't a guy like this with Noel here, but hey can never have too many assets at center.

19) K J McDaniels (SF) - 6'6" 200 lbs 6'9.5" 21 years old

He's a great athlete who can do everything on the court. He rebounds well and can block shots. He isn't a good ball handler in any sense of the word and not much of a three point shooter. He can be effective as a spot up shooter, but isn't great at creating his own shot. He shoots very well at the line. He doesnt excel in creating for others. For the Sixers he could be a nice third first round pick if a wing spot needs to be filled mainly because of his athleticism. If they can work with him to develop an effective three point shot he could turn out to be a nice player.

20) Cleanthony Early (SF/PF) - 6'8" 215 lbs 6'9" wingspan 23 years old

He's a guy who's improved every year. He looks more like a wing too me than a post player. Early has pretty good size and can be a spot up shooter from three. Has really good athleticism to help him drive amd defend which he should be pretty good at. Early has some post moves and could be a stretch four, but it's just a question of if he will be able to handle stronger players on both ends. Could split time between the two positions. He needs to work on his manchics for shooting and if he can be consistent with shooting from pull up and non set shots he could exceed expectations. His age could be an issue where development is concerned. Not a passer or dribblerwhich will limit how could he can get at the wing position. He needs works to be a consistent defender. For the Sixers I think he is interesting if Thad is moved for a pick.

If you managed to get through that thanks for reading. I know it's long, but I wanted to make sure I put it what I wanted to be said about these guys. Feel free to leave comments because I enjoy talking Sixers' prospects you never know who might end up here come draft day.

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