NBA Draft 2016: Wade Baldwin, Cheick Diallo and more declare for draft

While most of the league turns their attention energy toward playoff positioning, the Sixers can already look forward to the draft. Another wave of declarations is on the way, adding some needed depth to the mid-late first round.

Wade Baldwin IV is probably today's biggest name, and the Vanderbilt Commodores point guard would be an excellent fit for the Sixers if they somehow managed to move up (or back) into the late lotto area. Baldwin has great size at the point (6'3 with a 6'10 wingspan) alongside excellent shooting ability from deep. Baldwin shot 40-plus percent from three in each of his two seasons at Vanderbilt, and would be just about the perfect mold for a point guard to accompany the Sixers bigs.

Out west, Washington's Dejounte Murray and Marquese Chriss declared toward the end of last week. The latter is more coveted in NBA circles, but Murray will be of more interest to a Sixers team already overloaded with size up front. Murray has good size and excels in transition, but unless his jumper improves he'd be a tough fit for Philadelphia. There are not a ton of good signs there either; his footwork is poor and he was easily baited into settling for the open jumpers teams gave him all season.

Finally, Kansas' semi-mystery man Cheick Diallo has declared, though he is the only player in this wave to do so without the intent of signing with an agent. That's probably the smart move for Diallo, who came to Kansas as a top-10 recruit but struggled with eligibility issues and a minuscule role once he finally got to suit up. Maybe he'll blow somebody away in workouts, but odds are he'll be back on campus for the 2016-17 season. He's an interesting candidate to play small-ball center at the next level.

Baldwin should be on the Sixers radar, but the more players declaring the merrier considering the state of this class.

UPDATE: For clarity's sake, Baldwin has not yet declared, but has been widely reported as prepared to do so. From his own Twitter page:

I've not declared or hired an agent, right now I am focusing on finishing my semester at Vanderbilt University #FEAR

— Wade Baldwin IV (@The_Fourth_Wade) March 28, 2016