The Sixers’ decision to draft two guards in the first round could mean Markelle Fultz won’t be part of the future in Philadelphia, writes Keith Pompey of The Philadelphia Inquirer. The team acquired swingman Zhaire Smith in a trade with the Suns and took point guard Landry Shamet at No. 26, but coach Brett Brown said the selections have nothing to do with Fultz and the difficulties he encountered during his rookie year.
After being the first player taken in the 2017 draft, Fultz missed much of the season with a shoulder injury and an unexplained problem with his shooting motion. Fultz is still limited to “foundational-type” shooting drills, according to Pompey, and probably won’t join the Sixers for summer league.
The front office insists it isn’t trying to trade Fultz, but Pompey cites a report of internal discussions about moving him, along with the two first-rounders, in an effort to obtain a top five pick. Several league sources also say Fultz was available for a deal, but his performance as a rookie makes it difficult to get anything of value in return.
There’s more this morning out of Philadelphia:
- Jake Fischer of Sports Illustrated offers an inside look at the draft night deal that sent Smith to Philadelphia and Mikal Bridges to Phoenix. The Sixers turned down several offers from the Suns prior to the deal coming together just before Phoenix made its selection at No. 16. Bridges had a private workout in Philadelphia and Smith participated in two group workouts, and the Sixers considered them “1A” and “1B” as prospects who might be available with the 10th pick. When Smith fell all the way to 16th, Philly reconsidered, seeing an opportunity to stock up on future picks.
- Brown would like to see the Sixers hire someone already in the organization as the next GM, Pompey writes in a separate story. The top internal candidate is believed to be Marc Eversley, who serves as vice president of player personnel. “I don’t think we need an overhaul,” Brown said. “We’re in deep on this. We have ways we do business. So somewhere out there, we’ll find the balance of those things that I said, and I’m sure that I’ll have a voice in the selection of the next general manager.”
- Brown compares Smith to Spurs star Kawhi Leonard, another player who was traded on draft night, Pompey notes in another piece. Leonard is Smith’s favorite player and could wind up being a teammate if the cards fall right for the Sixers. “I think somebody said we have the same shooting mechanics,” Smith said. “So I try to do whatever move he does to get his shot off. I try to learn that.”
as usual prompt writes an article about sixers that’s already been out there without any additional info of his own
lol Your spellchecker needs a spellchecker! I assume prompt is Pompey.
But Pompey was not prompt you say. Someone stop me
Literally what I was postulating Draft Night. Still didnt draft a wing player better than RoCo. Still dont have cap space to sign LBJ outright. Needed to trade Bayless on draft night.
If you miss on LBJ and PG13 and have Fultz Smith Shamet Milton TLC on the roster, you aren’t resigning Redick and Belinelli for all these kids to ride the bench. Simmons minutes may even increase in year 2 above 33.7 to the 36, 37 range with TJ as his primary backup.
Idiots saying Bridges is just RoCo haven’t watched college basketball and dont know RoCos game which is only league average 3pt shooting and defense. Whereas Bridges can do it all, including finish at the rim, which RoCo finishes like hes never touched a basketball.
Smith, I like him but he is very raw and Fultz has regressed into a raw player essentially.
Also why didnt you trade TLCs salary? If he isnt in your plans as you draft 3 guards what’s the purpose? I get Shamet, eventual replacement for TJ. Would rather had Tony Carr or Jevon Carter tho.
Covington is a top 5 wing defender in the league
I’m still steaming over the fact the Knicks passed on Mikal Bridges.
Knox will be much better, if the Knicks were only a player or 2 from contending then Bridges might make sense. But Knox is gonna be the better all around player
If LeBron wants to sign with them they won’t have any trouble making room
They have have to trade Bayless to get to the magic number for LeBron and take nothing back. Can’t stretch him. So Miami unprotected pick to dump him versus the 26th or a few of those 2s? Good plan.
Future draft picks can be overrated. Even if it turns into the 1st pick of the draft, it’s just as likely that you wind up with Fultz as it is that you wind up with Simmons.
If you’re a team like the Bulls with cap room and no reasonable expectation of contending any team soon, you roll the dice with a future 1st. But if you’re the 76ers, you don’t let any future draft choice interfere with landing LBJ.
I knew what the 26th pick was, I dont know what the Heat pick will be, should have traded out of 26 in a deal that dumped Bayless.
RoCo league average defender? Really?
League average 3pt shooter. Meaning he is not special at one of the only 2 things he does. He is an average 3pt shooter. Also dont let the all nba defense team fool you, he bleeping vanished defensively in the playoffs.
I like the Z-A post, but not as much as Bryan Colangelo does. He is laughing grimly. “Hahaha, more crap that’s not my fault”
Zhaire Smith is a ridiculous athlete, and similarly disruptive defender, with a lot of upside. He is likely someone that can at least guard 3 positions, and can play either wing position if he develops offensively. They got him and they steal the unprotected pick from the Heat in 2021, which could end up being a big deal.
Shamet is more of a combo guard, but he can shoot, and should fit well with Simmons.
Milton adds another athletic defender for Philly. I think he’s better than people think offensively, and he might be able to guard a bit on the wing as well
I think you guys got a lot more versatile, and picked up more assets that you can use in a trade package of maybe 1 of those guys, TLC, Korkmaz, and/or Fultz combined with other expendable assets for something bigger if necessary. They also easily have the ability to move Bayless if/when its necessary. He is a good catch and shoot guy though, but obviously if they get someone in free agency they would need that space. I dont see what the issue is. I was surprised Mikal Bridges was on the board though
Unprotected pick from a team that is rarely bad. Top 5 drafting 4x since 1988. 9x in the top 10 in 30 years and 4x in the last 18. Pat Riley isnt a guy that will tank. He dealt those picks to begin with bc he knew they wouldn’t be great picks.
That’s the 1st year guys will be able to come out of high school again. The Heat roster is hard to predict that year. As a Heat fan, I dont expect them to be bad, but a lot can happen between now and then
Also, Bayless is an oft injured low basketball IQ guard. At 8.5M in a year with fewer teams cap flush.
What would it take to get fultz? If im the lakers I would trade for him fast. A fultz ball backcourt is pretty damn good.
Fultz will be unstoppable next season, I see him averaging 17 ppg with 6 apg next season where ever he lands.
I’m not a Pacers fan … actually a big TWolves fan .. but what would it take for Indy to land Fultz and pair up with Oladipo?
I don’t see anyone Philly would want from Indiana, if Fultz ends up anywhere next season it’s San Antonio.
I think in real life, Dionis is a life coach. Like Tony Robbins, or maybe he is Tony Robbins.
I should be.
Agree with formerlyz, Philly did a very good job in draft night, we just have to wait & see what move they do next. Also I think Fultz is gonna turn good, maybe not as good as expected but it will be good, & I hope Philly doesn’t give up on him too quickly, it won’t look good to trade him this summer & him having a good season somewhere else. As well I think he would be good at the Lakers, as I said before they don’t need SF’s but a SG & a C, to accompany Ball, Ingram & Randle/Kuzma in their starting line up, & Fultz if he finds his shot, could play well with Ball.
They already look like clowns. From Andrew Bynum to the tank to Fultz to Coleangelo. Our only saving grace is that the Kings exist. And they already gave up on Fultz, when they publicly said that pick was all Coleangelo we wanted to look at Ball and Tatum again. Then they drafted 3 shooters that would play opposite Simmons, which is what Fultz was drafted for. I will give them credit that each player can shoot at the very least. Smith only shot like 40 3s tho at a 45% clip not a big sample.
Literally the only thing going for them in the LBJ quest is that they are in the East and it’s just Boston. Who will be so much better with Hayward and Kyrie. I mean they could go for it and trade Rozier, Brown, or Tatum and build a complete Super Team if they wanted. End up with Kyrie, Kawhi, Hayward, Horford and a center. If Howard is bought out they could use the MLE on him. They have assets to even pull off a KAT trade or even Ayton. They have tha Kings pick in their back pocket too only #1 protected.
Brown has made errors. I think comparing Zaire Smith to Kawhi is one, not just because Kawhi is hard to equal.
The yips are such a strange occurrence