2012 NBA Mock Draft (Post-Lottery): Sixers Select Arnett Moultrie

Yesterday we looked at Draft Express's pre-lottery mock draft, in which they had the Sixers selecting Terrence Jones from Kentucky. They still have Jones going to the Sixers in the post-lottery Mock, via Yahoo!, with this to say:

While almost certainly a top-10 talent, Jones (or one of his power forward counterparts) could pay the price for how deep this draft is at his position, as six power forwards have already come off the board at this point in this particular mock draft. The Sixers have other needs, but could have a very difficult time passing on a player like Jones, who can do a little bit of everything on the floor and looks ready to play from day one.

Chad Ford of ESPN also updated his mock draft following the lottery, and new name pops up in the Sixers spot: Arnett Moultrie.

Analysis: The Sixers need big athletes and Moultrie might be a great fit. He's long and athletic, he rebounds and he can stretch the floor with his jumper. Moultrie could be one of the real sleepers in the draft.

Ford has the Sixers passing on a trio of talented guys in Terrence Jones, Austin Rivers and Kendall Marshall, in favor of the big man from Mississippi State.

I've actually become quite intrigued with Moultrie over the last couple weeks. As with most mid-to-late first round prospects, a lot of questions surround Moultrie. His effort has been inconsistent at times and despite his well-above average physical tools, he's been a terrible shot-blocker throughout his college career – an area where he should've dominated.

The positives: Moultrie is a big, athletic dude – the type of player the Sixers have desperately needed since the departure of Samuel Dalembert. Although he's a below average shot blocker, the rest of his defensive peripherals are solid, with the potential to improve with proper coaching, assuming he's receptive. He's an average-to-slightly above average rebounder on the defensive end, but possesses an borderline-elite ability on the offensive glass.

Offensively, he scores a lot of points doing 'Thaddeus Young things' – crashing the glass and scoring around the basket. He gets to the free throw line at a much higher rate than any other Sixers big, and surprisingly converted at a 78 percent clip in 2012, after shooting 65 and 54 percent his first two seasons.

We've been banging home the need for Jrue and Evan – Jrue in particular – to play with an athletic big who can finish off pick n' rolls and catch alley-oops. Well, check out this excerpt from Joe Treutlein's scouting report, back in January:

Moultrie is clearly at his best when he can utilize his excellent tools off the ball, attacking the basket on cuts and offensive rebounds. His length and leaping ability make him an alley-oop machine in the halfcourt, frequently getting open around the rim and throwing down any pass that comes his way. On more contested opportunities, Moultrie is a strong finisher around the rim, usually relying on finesse a little more than he probably should, but showing good touch and ability to use his length to get shots off.

Moultrie is equally dangerous finishing on put-back opportunities, where he shows good pursuit and much more of a mean streak than in other areas of his game. He pulls in an excellent 5.2 offensive rebounds per 40 minutes and is a great finisher in these situations when he goes right back up. He shows a strong second bounce and is more prone to finishing with power in these situations, having no qualms about throwing down a dunk when he has the chance.

To go along with all the oops, putbacks and finishes, Moultrie actually has a pretty nice stroke, and could knock down an 18-footer once in a while. He can also put the ball on the floor and post up on occasion. I'd argue he's already a better ball-handler and face-up "big" than Thaddeus Young. He'll need to add size and strength, and hopefully his motor questions are answered, but he's a very intriguing prospect.