No One, Six, Eleven But Future Still Bright For Sixers
By Ray Boyd
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- It was fun using #OneSixEleven while we could. The problem with that wish was how unrealistic it truly was for the Sixers to acquire those selections. The odds were less than one percent.
The good news is, all of those potential picks that did not convey are all still under the Sixers control and could very well put the team in an even more dominant position around the time of the 2016 NBA Draft.
As of right now, the Sixers control their own first round pick for 2016.
The team also still owns the pick that wound up staying with the Lakers. Los Angeles lucked out acquiring the second overall pick, but next year that pick is only top-3 protected. With the addition of a top-2 talent, combined with a healthy Julius Randle and Kobe Bryant, the Lakers will more than likely be able to earn a record that does not warrant them a top-3 pick.
Some critics of the original deal that landed the Sixers the pick complain that the Lakers may be too good next year and that pick could wind up in the latter part of the first round. That notion relies on pessimism and ignores reason for the most part.
A couple of young first and second year players and a 37-year old isn't the recipe for success in a tough Western Conference.
The potential eleven in #OneSixEleven was the top-10 protected pick from the Heat. That pick will be top-10 protected again in 2016, but becomes unprotected in 2017.
That could be beneficial as the Heat do not currently have a lot of prospects that point to them becoming all that good over the next two seasons.
The Sixers also have the Thunder pick for 2016 which is protected for picks 1-15. That pick should almost be a lock to convey considering the rash of injuries that plagued the Thunder this season.
A healthy Kevin Durant should almost guarantee the Thunder a trip back to the postseason.
Getting all of those selections within the next season or two is exciting to think about, but there is another interesting wrinkle.
The Sixers will be developing young talent while constantly adding onto it. For example, this upcoming season the team adds Joel Embiid and potentially a player like D'Angelo Russell (the player I like).
Next season they could add potentially 3-4 first round talents while also bringing over Dario Saric. Those picks also represent assets that could be used in trades to acquire a top talent already in the league to add to the fold.
It would have been exciting to see #OneSixEleven happen, but the fact that it didn't happen will make the next two off-seasons that much more fun.
We can all just sit back and watch Sam Hinkie work.