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The Sixers had themselves an NBA Draft on Thursday night. They came into the event with 7 of the 60 picks. They came away with 7 players, although not in the most traditional way. Sam Hinkie tinkered -- not as much as last year -- and picked up a few future things in the process. I'm past fumes, so let's get to it.
#3 - JOEL EMBIID - C, Kansas
The Sixers sat right at that 3rd pick, didn't make much of an effort to get #1 after all, and gambled on the guy most people believe has the far and away highest upside of any player in the draft. If his injury concerns have been overblown, this pick is an incredible steal. But due to the injury, he fell to 4th on our Big Board. Here's Sean's quick analysis of the pick and here's why Derek still wanted to take him at #1. As well as a full scouting report from SB Nation.
Sixers apparently found no red flags with Embiid's medical records. Feel the foot is a non-issue.
— Jake Pavorsky (@JakePavorsky) June 27, 2014
Sixers Trade: #10 (ELFRID PAYTON - PG, Louisiana-Lafayette)
Sixers Acquire: 12 (DARIO SARIC - F, Croatia), 2015 Orlando 2nd round pick, 2017 Philadelphia 1st round pick
We'll have more on this later, but the pick they got back from Orlando here was the pick they had traded to them in the Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum deal. This sums it up best:
The Sixers got to move down 2 spots, still picked up the guy they wanted, and abolished the Bynum trade. Making it look easy.
— Michael Levin (@Michael_Levin) June 27, 2014
Saric will stay in Europe for what looks like two seasons after he signed a new contract with a team in Croatia. The Sixers will not have to pay him until he decides to come stateside, at which time his rookie contract would kick in. Here is a nice primer on drafting international players and here is Rich's quick analysis of the pick. Saric was 9th on the LB Big Board.
For your necessary enjoyment, you're going to want to watch Dario dancing as his team wins the Adriatic League Championship and how he celebrates a made three.
#32 - K.J. McDANIELS, SF - Clemson
Though it looked for a bit like the Sixers would try to slip up into the late 1st, they waited in line and allowed a slipping prospect to fall into their laps. McDaniels is one of the best athletes in the draft out of Clemson and could start at small forward right away for the Sixers. Here is Dave's Pimp Your Prospect on McDaniels, here is Kyle's analysis of the selection, and here's a tremendous profile on him from James Herbert at CBS Sports that'll make you buy in super hard if you haven't yet.
#39 - JERAMI GRANT, F - Syracuse
Another guy that skidded into the Sixers open arms, Jerami played a couple years at Syracuse -- one of which was next to a certain Michael Carter-Williams -- but never realized his potential. He's all value at this point in the draft, profiling as a potential bench replacement for Thaddeus Young once he mercifully goes somewhere else.
#47 traded to New Orleans for PIERRE JACKSON, PG - Baylor
Pierre was involved in the Jrue Holiday trade last season, and Hinkie gets to put him on his dance card again this year, only coming the opposite way. Pierre's a point guard that can shoot and provide energy and passing off the bench in spurts, as he can't really cover anybody.
I like Russ Smith. I think I like Pierre Jackson more. I'm okay with that trade. Really athletic and well-rounded.
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) June 27, 2014
#52 - VASILIJE MICIC, PG - Serbia
You know we're fans of a guy if we can spell Vasilije without checking. He's a long, pass-first point guard out of Serbia with tremendous basketball IQ. It'll take some time for him to come over, but it's a smart gamble if he ever does. Would really be a nice change of pace guy in the rotation.
Rich profiled him as his pimped prospect and Matt has more on him from our mock draft series.
#54 traded to San Antonio for #58, #60; #60 traded to Brooklyn, probably for cash
#58 - JORDAN McRAE, SG - Tennessee
Here's the Sixers press release on him, the only one they've released as of this writing.
In four years, McRae (6-6, 185) averaged 14 points, 4 rebounds, 2 assists, 1 block and 1 steal in 33 minutes per game while shooting 42 percent from the floor. He led the team in scoring with 19 ppg his senior year and 16 ppg his junior season. He also led the Volunteers in assists with 3 apg as a senior.
An athletic body, but also a body that can potentially shoot balls into a net from some distance away -- something the other six draftees can't confidently say. He actually performed on Tennessee, so this feels like a Markel Brown-esque pick to me. 7'0 wingspan from a 2-guard though, so.
If you want a better visual of what the Sixers did, Sean has you covered. We'll have more as the days and weeks go on, but for now, here are all the men the Sixers drafted. Get to know them, take a second to breathe, and then you can decide if you hate or love the draft as much as you did Thursday night.
DISCLAIMER: Sam Hinkie may have done a bunch more things that we don't find out about until later. We'll let you know if that happens. He doesn't tell us anything, we just clean up after him.