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When is the NBA Draft?
The draft is Thursday. Never forget that the draft is Thursday. The draft shall always be Thursday. Tomorrow is Thursday. Coverage starts at 7:00 PM EDT on ESPN. Expect the draft to actually begin closer to 7:30.
How many draft parties are there?
76 of them, counting only ones sponsored by the 76ers. You can attend multiple parties on the same city block if you try hard enough. Liberty Ballers and the Rights to Ricky Sanchez podcast will not be hosting one as we did for the lottery, as we instead plan to focus on dominating NBA draft coverage. You can find a list of Sixers draft party locations here.
What picks do the Sixers have?
The 76ers have seven picks out of the sixty total made in the draft. Each team begins with two selections, and through trades each may send another team one or more draft picks. Through multiple trades, the Sixers have acquired one additional first round pick and four additional second rounders.
First Round: 3, 10
Second Round: 32, 39, 47, 52, 54
Can the Sixers trade their draft picks on draft night?
Yes, and they will likely be involved in multiple trades. You'll see at least one reason why later.
Why is the draft so important?
The Sixers, led by the team's president and general manager Sam Hinkie, have implemented a strategy to be as bad as they can possibly be short-term to draft young, talented players, with the hope that a major investment in the growth of these players may lead to long-term success. The Sixers finished with the second worst record in the NBA in the 2013-14 season, and they likely intend to struggle in 2014-15 as well.
Because of the strategy, the Sixers' greatest chance at improvement comes from drafting the best players in the draft. And with so many selections in the draft this season, the Sixers can completely change the direction of the franchise depending on whether or not they pick the right players.
Do the Sixers really have BALLIN BEN FRANKLIN as a new logo?
Sadly, no.
#Sixers source: Team will NOT use this logo. Was something they explored. MT @RealGM: #76ers' new Ben Franklin logo. pic.twitter.com/4PVE7TigZ7
— Jason Wolf (@JasonChadWolf) June 24, 2014
Who will the Sixers draft with all their draft picks?
We have no idea. Sam Hinkie and all of the other general managers keep their preferences quiet, leaking information oftentimes in an attempt to create smokescreens for other teams. The NBA draft is like a game of chess played by a ninjas. Just when you think you know your next move, someone flipped over the chessboard, the pieces are different colors, and your pants are missing.
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This Is Relevant
Until recently, the Sixers were expected to select one of the trio of Andrew Wiggins, Jabari Parker, and Joel Embiid with their first selection. Embiid, a 7' center, suffered a foot injury and is expected to miss at least 6 months of action after recent surgery.
Now, the Sixers may take Wiggins or Parker if they are not selected before they pick by either the Cleveland Cavaliers or the Milwaukee Bucks. They may also trade up or down. They could still select Embiid. Or they can select any number of other players, including (but not limited to) Dante Exum and Noah Vonleh. The varying possibilities only increase the chances that the Sixers make draft-day trades.
How can I learn more about all these players you mentioned?
You can click on the links with the players' names and find their SB Nation player pages. You can also read more about them as part of Rich Hoffman's Prospect Watch series.
Will the Sixers be using all of their draft picks?
Most likely, no. The NBA limits the team's roster size to 15, meaning that the Sixers, if they used all seven picks and signed all to NBA contracts, would only have eight slots open for other players. Instead, expect the Sixers to possibly package picks to move up in the draft. You may also see a trade where the Sixers trade a pick this year for a future pick.
More likely than not, one or more of the second round picks will be used to draft a professional playing in Europe or elsewhere. Usually, these players are signed to international contracts and cannot come to the NBA immediately upon being drafted. However, if they choose to play professionally in America, the Sixers would have the exclusive rights to sign them.
Will the Sixers trade any of their current players?
There's a good chance for that. Thaddeus Young is readily available to any team that will offer a first round pick, and in all likelihood he will be traded before the regular season begins. Reigning NBA rookie of the year Michael Carter-Williams has also been rumored to be available, much to the chagrin of many Sixers fans. The Sixers might trade him if they think they can find a younger and better player with a draft pick acquired in the deal.
The Sixers also have several players with expiring and non-guaranteed contracts on their roster. These players are valuable in trades as teams do not have to commit money for more than a year to anyone acquired. The Sixers have the flexibility to make lots of trades.
And as we learned from the Jrue Holiday trade during last year's draft: no one is safe. Not even you. Have a bag ready by the door.
Where can you find more information about the draft?
Liberty Ballers has written extensively about the NBA Draft over the past month. If you want to find our crowd-sourced rankings of individual players, our mock drafts, or our favorite pet prospects, see the following links:
2014 Liberty Ballers Community NBA Draft Big Board
2014 Liberty Ballers Mock Draft
Pimp Your Prospect - Our Favorite Under The Radar Potential Picks
SB Nation NBA Blogger Mock Draft
The Full Liberty Ballers Big Board Compiled
Additionally, anything we posted about the 2014 NBA Draft can be found in the 2014 NBA Draft hub. It's just one night till draft night, when the party never stops. Join us for the fun, won't you?