The Sixers were not afraid to employ rookies this season, and they’re in line for another influx of NBA neophytes in 2014/15. Philadelphia will have a pair of first-round picks this year, barring a lucky bounce of a lottery ping-pong ball for the Pelicans, and five second-rounders, giving the Sixers a league-high seven draft choices in 2014.
Whenever a team is holding that many picks, there’s a strong chance it’ll trade one or more of them. The Sixers are in the midst of a rebuilding project, but even so, it’d be difficult for them to find room for seven rookies on next season’s opening-night roster. Likewise, Suns GM Ryan McDonough has spoken on multiple occasions about packaging his team’s slew of first-round picks in a trade. Most teams aren’t in Phoenix’s enviable position and are increasingly reluctant to part with first-round picks, so second-rounders are becoming valuable trade fodder, too.
The final draft order won’t be determined until the May 20th lottery, but you can check out the projected first-round landscape here, and teams are ranked below by the volume of 2014 picks they possess, showing which teams might be looking to deal. There’s a chance the lottery will take a few picks away from some teams and give them to others, so we’ve noted those potential scenarios here. The number of first round picks is in parentheses to the left of the slash, with the number of second-rounders to the right.
Seven picks
- Sixers (2/5) — There a 4% chance they won’t receive the Pelicans’ first-round pick, which would leave them with six picks.
Four picks
- Suns (3/1) — There’s a 2% chance they’ll receive the Timberwolves’ first-round pick, which would give them five picks.
- Timberwolves (1/3) — There’s a 2% chance they’ll have to send their first-round pick to the Suns, which would leave them with three picks.
- Bucks (1/3)
Three picks
- Bulls (2/1)
- Jazz (2/1)
- Nuggets (1/2)
- Raptors (1/2)
- Spurs (1/2)
Two picks
- Celtics (2/0)
- Magic (2/0)
- Thunder (2/0)
- Bobcats (1/1) — There’s an 18% chance they’ll receive the Pistons’ first-round pick, which would give them three picks.
- Cavs (1/1)
- Hawks (1/1)
- Heat (1/1)
- Pistons (1/1) — There’s an 18% chance they’ll have to give their first-round pick to the Bobcats, which would leave them with one pick.
- Rockets (1/1)
- Mavericks (0/2)
One pick
- Clippers (1/0)
- Grizzlies (1/0)
- Kings (1/0)
- Lakers (1/0)
- Pacers (0/1)
- Wizards (0/1)
Zero picks
- Pelicans — There’s a 4% chance they’ll get to keep their first-round pick from going to the Sixers, which would give them one pick.
- Nets
- Warriors
- Knicks
- Trail Blazers
knicks – 0 picks
Trailblazers – 1 I believe
You’re right about the Knicks (Thanks!), but the Blazers don’t have any.
–Chuck
Celtics get 76ers second round pick making that 3
No, that’s in 2015, and it’s actually tied to Philly’s first-round pick that year. If the Sixers make the playoffs next year, the Celtics get Philly’s first-round pick, but in the seemingly more likely event that they miss the playoffs, Boston gets Philly’s 2015 second-round pick instead.
–Chuck
Bucks own torontos second in addition to the lakers and their own. So 1+1+1+1 =4 bucks have four
That’s correct, and it’s reflected in the post now. Thank you!
–Chuck