:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/42476260/20141008_ajw_sq4_013.JPG.0.jpg)
People can say what they will about the Sixers team methods over the past two seasons (and apparently there were 12 owners who weren't spiteful towards them), but their high draft picks have netted them some top-tier young talent. General managers around the league seemed to have recognized that too, as a handful of Philadelphia's rookies were spoken of highly in John Schuhmann's annual GM poll for NBA.com.
Sixers power forward Nerlens Noel received votes for "Who will win the 2014-15 Rookie of the Year?", placing behind Andrew Wiggins and Jabari Parker. Parker was the runaway winner with 75% of the vote, and he's sort of the no brainer pick. He's polished offensively, and has had a pretty sound preseason thus far. I'd expect Parker to have a consistent season statistically as opposed to Noel, who will probably have some serious growing pains at his new position. Noel may indeed get some votes at the end of the year as well, but it's Parker's award to lose.
When asked "Which rookie will be the best player in the next five years?", Joel Embiid placed third with 21.4% of the vote. Parker won again with 35.7%, and Wiggins came in second at 32.1%. Noel received no votes. If Embiid wasn't rehabbing his second big injury in a calendar year, those votes may look a little different. He was rather clearly going to be the top overall pick before he suffered his foot injury, and still has franchise altering talent. The issue for most general managers seems to be concern as to whether he'll actually be able to get on the floor to display that talent, and those concerns are fair. It just won't be too surprising if he does end up outperforming his two counterparts five years down the line.
Small forward K.J. McDaniels and Sixers property Dario Saric both claimed a couple of honorable mention votes in the "Which rookie will be the biggest steal at where he was selected in the Draft?" category. Rodney Hood won with 17.9% of the vote. The consensus even at the time of the pick was that Philadelphia got a good one in McDaniels. Saric was still picked relatively high, so for him to garner some votes here goes to show how highly regarded he is.
Saric also tied for first with Rudy Fernandez when GM's were asked "Who is the best player not in the NBA?". Mario Hezonja also claimed a couple of votes.