FanPost

The Sixers’ Most Under-the-Radar Asset

As free agency commences, the Sixers have been linked to about half a dozen free agents. Most of these players will not end up in Philadelphia but a couple could get handsomely rewarded for coming to a team that has won a total of 47 games over the last three seasons. Potential star Harrison Barnes seems to be the diamond in the rough for the Sixers. Offering him a max contract has been hotly debated over the last couple days. There have also been rumors of signing other players to over-inflated and/or bloated contracts like Dion Waiters, Allen Crabbe and Jeremy Lin. The team that suits up in Philly come November will be one drastically different than the ones in years past, but they still have one asset no one is talking about: that 2015 trade with the Kings.

Remember last summer when the Sixers gave up the draft rights to Arturas Gudaitis and Luka Mitrovic to the Kings in exchange for Nik Stauskas, Carl Landry and Jason Thompson. The most important part of the trade however, was not a player. Instead, it was a future first round draft pick and the right to swap first round picks in 2016 and 2017. Obviously, they didn’t flip first rounders considering the Sixers wound up with the top pick in the draft. But, 2017 could be a different story.

The Sacramento Kings finished the 2015-2016 season with a record of 33-49. They ended up with the eighth pick and ended up sending that to Phoenix. The team the field this upcoming season probably won’t look vastly different than last year’s team but there will be at least one change. Starting point guard Rajon Rondo signed a one-year deal with Sacramento last year with the intent of spending this past season there, hoping to increase his appeal to other teams. The chances of Rondo resigning are extremely slim especially when a team could conceivably offer him a large contract.

Other free agents for the Kings include Seth Curry, Quincy Acy, James Anderson and Eric Moreland. Should these players decide to play elsewhere, their loss will not be a big deal. Sacramento has been rumored to like free agents Dion Waiters, Courtney Lee, and Matthew Dellavedova. Even with oft-upset superstar DeMarcus Cousins, the Kings will almost certainly be selecting in the lottery in 2017.

One goal of the Colangelo led Sixers should be to make use of this draft swap. The Kings will not be good. The Sixers will not be good. But the Sixers cannot do much worse than last year, whereas the Kings will continue their lengthy process in mediocrity near the basement of the NBA. The Kings could end up picking in the top five. And if that happens, and the Sixers are picking after them, they will gratefully accept that pick.

But let’s say the Kings end up with a worse pick than the Sixers in 2017. Philly obviously won’t use the pick swap, which would be sad because it’d expire. But it isn’t the end of the world because Philly is still owed a first round pick from this trade and it gets significantly more confusing…

The Kings owe a top-10 protected pick to the Chicago Bulls. It did not convey this year, and it could this upcoming year. So if by some miracle the Kings finish with a first round pick outside the top ten, it goes to Chicago. If not, it will transform into two second round picks.

After the Kings give up some compensation to Chicago, they will then be forced to convey a top 10 protected draft pick to Philly (reportedly). So this would be in 2017. If it doesn’t happen that first season, the pick becomes unprotected.

Don’t forget the Sixers are also owed a first round pick from the Lakers. That’s top three protected in the 2017 draft. Let’s say LA get their third straight top three pick, then it becomes unprotected.

That means Philly could potentially have THREE first round picks. Not just three picks in the top thirty, like the Sixers had this year, but three high picks. While it takes some luck for this to happen all we need to do is "Trust the Process," thanks Sam Hinkie. The impression you made on this team will continue to be felt long after you handed in your resignation.

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