Led by rookie Ben Simmons, the 76ers, up until last night, had won 17 straight games, including a second half dismantling of the Miami Heat in game one. 74 to 40. Say it again. 74 to 40. It’s the kind of half that enlightens us not only to the offensive but the defensive capabilities of this team. And that was without the injured Joel Embiid. A player some would argue is the Sixers’ best player (hint: it doesn’t matter who the Sixers’ best player is. Any team would be lucky to have either Ben Simmons or Joel Embiid, let alone both of them).

Was game one a warning shot across the bow of the NBA? Likely. Is this just the start the 76ers playoff run? Also likely. Yet beyond that, the 76ers are somewhat unique among NBA teams that have had such impressive runs (a 17 game winning streak would rank tied for 16th all time, placing the 76ers on a list that features nine champions including recently the 2015-16 Warriors, the 2013-14 Spurs and the 2012-13 Heat).

What’s unique about this team among these all time greats? Firstly, their core is incredibly young. Ben Simmons (21), Joel Embiid (23), Robert Covington (27), Dario Saric (23), Markelle Fultz (19), even onto current 3rd string point guard, TJ McConnell (25). They all played at least 18 minutes per game on the season, with four of them playing over 30 minutes per game. Secondly, related to their youth, perhaps only one of the Sixers most important players in his prime — Robert Covington — and it’s the team’s third most important player. Thirdly, every single one of these players is signed to a contract that figures to provide surplus value on the dollar for the foreseeable future, giving this team what precious few before them have had, at least if we are talking about the salary cap era — salary cap flexibility.

We’re talking about 54 million in the 2018-19 season to six key players against a salary cap figure that projects to be around 102 million. Or roughly 48 million to play with if the Sixers can find a taker for Jerryd Bayless’s contract and the young players who still have to prove they are part of the Sixers future (TLC, Anderson, Korkmaz). Who are the two potential prize free agents this off-season? Lebron James and Paul George. Two players who would fit beautifully on any team, let alone one as young, talented and good as the Philadelphia 76ers.

But that’s not all. Philadelphia will likely also have either the 1st (if the Lakers pick wins the lottery) or the 10th pick in the 2018 draft. And Kawhi Leonard, arguably one of the league’s top four players when healthy, may be available. That is, the Sixers are truly in an enviable position, right now and into the future.

2018 NBA Draft

That luck extends into the 2018 NBA draft, above and beyond where the team might be selecting. How so? Well, the 76ers, having Joel Embiid already on the roster, are one of the few teams that does not need a center. Might they take one? It’s possible, but some very important conditions would have to be met. That player would have to have the potential to be absolutely dominant in a limited 18 to 20 minutes per game behind Embiid. And in an ideal world, that player would also have to be able to play alongside Embiid for 4 to 8 minutes a night.

With those two criteria alone, we’ve eliminated many of the most enticingly flawed prospects of the 2018 draft such as DeAndre Ayton. No way a player with his defensive deficiencies could play alongside Embiid on defense, let alone the fact that their offensive games are simply not a good match. Mo Bamba? Mismatched games in every way. What about the others?

Wendell Carter Jr’s (without somewhat unlikely athletic improvement) feet are too slow to likely be anything more than a backup center as we get deeper into the playoffs and smaller, more dynamic lineups start to take over. Think how Kevin Love has been a limitation to at least some degree on the Cavs success against a squad like the Warriors, but generally not earlier in the playoffs.

Marvin Bagley is athletically gifted enough to slot in at the four, but is a big question to ever develop the necessary skills to thrive next to a player like Embiid. Which leaves essentially one player who fits the bill — Jaren Jackson Jr — the player many of us at The Stepien (watch out for group think) have decided is clearly the best big prospect in the draft.

Aside from potentially Jaren Jackson Jr., a player the Sixers would likely only be in position to take in a trade down (if the Lakers win the lottery) or a trade up (if they don’t), the Sixers are free to focus on point guards and wing sized players. Guys like Luka Doncic, Trae Young, Mikal Bridges, Miles Bridges and potentially Michael Porter Jr.

Even better news for the 76ers, I’d argue that every one of these players, aside from perhaps Michael Porter Jr., is underrated relative to current consensus, a fact that is magnified should any of these players happen to find themselves on the 76ers. Why is that? Well, the 76ers present the single best situation outside of perhaps the Celtics for any of these players to thrive.

76ers Big Board Tier 1 (If The Lakers Lottery Up)

1.1 Luka Doncic

Has absolutely everything the Sixers might be looking for except top notch athleticism. Size at 6-foot-8. Positional versatility. Offensive role versatility with ability to dribble, pass on the move, see the floor, make the right decision, shoot off the dribble or off the catch. And unlike a player such as Jaren Jackson Jr., there are absolutely no concerns with how Doncic might fit into the roster.

Doncic’s presence on the roster would further expand the value and versatility of the team’s already formidable size. Zach Lowe has several times throughout the season written about the 76ers huge starting lineup, highlighting both how good it is and how difficult it is for opponents to match up with. We’re talking about the Simmons-Redick-Covington-Saric-Embiid starting five. Though in the future the team will likely be substituting Fultz for Redick, adding still more size and athleticism to the group even if no significant external changes are made. Doncic would be yet another weapon to add.

Huge Lineup Part 2

The connection I don’t believe Lowe made, though I could be wrong, is that we have seen such huge lineups four or five times in NBA history. Frequently on the Showtime Lakers (Magic Johnson, Scott or Cooper, Wilkes, Worthy, Kareem being two such units), the late 90s Bulls (Michael Jordan, Scottie Pippen and Ron Harper combined with Toni Kukoc, Dennis Rodman and Luc Longley in various ways), the three-peat Lakers (Kobe Bryant, Shaquille O’Neal, Ron Harper, Glen Rice, Rick Fox, Robert Horry, A.C. Green, Horace Grant, Devean George featured heavily in some of the huge lineups) and occasionally the Lebron James Heat (Lebron + Dwyane Wade/Ray Allen and three out of Shane Battier, Mike Miller, Chris Bosh and Chris Anderson), including a few of their most dominant lineups.

Yes, these teams all won multiple championships. In other words, being able to go huge like the 76ers can is a major advantage and future personnel decisions should probably keep this fact in mind, unless a potentially transcendent small talent (Trae Young perhaps?) is available. Even then, weighing Young’s potential positives versus a less exciting but larger player who can help the Sixers play up this advantage will be necessary.

The Catch With Winning The Lottery

The catch here is that winning the 2018 lottery might give the 76ers the trump card when it comes to any potential deal for Kawhi Leonard. If the 76ers win the lottery, there’s likely not a single team, except perhaps for the team that picks number two, pending how the Spurs have graded prospects, or the Celtics, pending how the Spurs have graded Jayson Tatum, that could offer a starting point for a trade as attractive as Luka Doncic (or perhaps DeAndre Ayton).

That presents one possible starting point for a deal — Doncic + sweeteners in the form of young back end players and first round draft picks for Leonard. The other possible starting point would be that Markelle Fultz would be the centerpiece of such a deal.

With the quality of the acquired players, the 76ers wouldn’t even have to worry about the fact that Fultz is better suited to guard quicker players than Doncic. After all, Simmons, Covington, Leonard and George or James are all well suited to guard virtually anyone. So if proposals built around one of those two players as the centerpiece of such a deal are feasible for the Spurs, and they do indeed wish to trade Leonard, only two questions remain:

1) Are two years of Kawhi on a contract that pays him only 20 million per year worth eight or possibly nine years of Fultz or Doncic?

2) If Kawhi was on the roster, would the 76ers be more likely to sign a free agent like Lebron James or Paul George?

Why Not Doncic And Fultz

Such a trade could certainly be designed around both players. It would also be the only time in history the team trading the superstar received so much talent in return. Not Charles Barkley. Not Kevin Garnett. Not Carmelo Anthony. Not Dwight Howard (a similar situation in that the player is coming off of an injury). Not Kevin Love (though Wiggins was regarded quite highly, when it’s rumored they chose him over an offer featuring Klay Thompson or Draymond Green + Harrison Barnes, if I remember correctly). Not Chris Paul (the Pelicans ended up with Anthony Davis as a result of this deal precisely because the return was so paltry. One reason why the league’s anti-tanking stance is so ironic). And not last year’s summer heroes, Jimmy Butler, Paul George and Kyrie Irving.

None of these player’s returned a player in a trade as good as Doncic is likely to be, or as good as Fultz will be if his jump shooting form returns, let alone both players. So including both players in an offer would likely be bidding higher than the team needs to. Unless San Antonio is head over heals about Boston’s young players.

76ers Big Board Tier 2 (In A Trade Down If The Lakers Move Up In The Lottery or If The Lakers Pick Doesn’t Move)

2.2 Trae Young

Imagine 1-3, 1-4 and 1-5 screens with Young, Ben Simmons, Dario Saric or Joel Embiid. The Young-Simmons combo is especially intriguing because it will put opponents in an impossible situation, with virtually every defense likely to lead to an open three-point shot for Young, a clear drive for Young, or Ben Simmons with a 4-on-3 possibility against the defense.

That’s just one of the many intriguing possibilities here. There’s also the possibility of Trae Young playing off of either Simmons or Fultz or both, in which Young gets to show that his off ball shooting ability, much like Curry, is even better than the considerable talent he shows on ball. And the likelihood that his defensive deficiencies will be somewhat mitigated for two reasons.

First, Young’s burden on offense will be scaled back from college which will allow him to spend more energy on defense. Second, Philadelphia’s offense could be so good that it simply allows enough dead ball starts on offense to mitigate actual on court weaknesses which are only exacerbated in transition. Most of the elite offenses in NBA history have had at least league average defenses, often despite worse than average defensive personnel, in large part for this reason.

If Trae Young gets to Curry or Nash value on offense, that is, valuable enough on offense to offset the defensive deficiencies and more, Philadelphia is most likely the path by which that happens.

2.2 Mikal Bridges

Bridges is in most circles thought of as the draft’s preeminent 3&D player and a potential three to four position defender with a near lock shooting profile. Over 60 percent on 2-point shots, 40 percent on 3-pt shots and 85 percent from the free throw line for his career, with very high volume of attempts (7.4 per 40 minutes, 239 overall) in his junior year. Beyond that, 42% percent on 2-pt jumpers with 24 of 32 makes unassisted. Then add to that a roughly 3-to-2 assist-to-turnover rate and over 3 stocks per 40 minutes for his career. The only aspect that Bridges is missing is unassisted makes and attempts on his 3-pt jumpers.

Philadelphia would also be an ideal situation for Bridges as his college strengths on defense — on ball pressure of smaller players — is a good compliment to the strengths of Covington. That being said, Mikal Bridges did not as a junior move nearly as well on defense as he did as a Freshman or a Sophomore and in a number of games had some difficulty clearing screens. Switching defenses mitigate the latter weakness, but the movement decline, if my eyes are right, should be of some concern. And I would definitely be interested to know if this is related to potential injury, to the increased burden of offense, or, worst case scenario, to a changing body.

The last thing to say about Bridges is to look at his career in terms of wing impact on team wins. In the last thirty years, Bridges is up there with Grant Hill, Paul Pierce, Vince Carter, Shane Battier, Richard Hamilton, Stacy Augmon, Sean Elliot and Corey Brewer as having the most effective careers by these criteria. Bridges isn’t the on ball dynamo that Hill, Pierce, and Carter were, but if you look at Bridges to have a career in value likely between that of Battier and Brewer and a worst case scenario for Bridges to be something like Corey Brewer or Stacy Augmon with a real jump shot, the possibilities for Bridges career begin to look pretty peachy. The best case scenario is quite a lot better than that. Regardless, Mikal is a rotation player and potentially much more.

2.2 Jaren Jackson Jr.

Having Jaren Jackson Jr. on the list, especially this high, will likely cause a fair amount of skepticism. After all, the Sixers just struggled integrating Nerlens Noel with Joel Embiid, and Jaren Jackson Jr. is in some ways, considering his somewhat slender frame and in many ways underdeveloped offensive game, somewhat similar to Noel. The big differences here are time frame (Jackson’s 2nd contract won’t be up for negotiation until Embiid is close to done with his own) and the fact that Jackson possibly projects to shoot from distance.

Not that we should be overly confident about that occurrence. We should have about as much confidence in Jaren Jackson shooting from 3-pt land as we had in Michael Beasley being successful from 3-pt range 10 years ago:

Which is to say, not overly much. But we should remember player development isn’t linear or transitive, and Jackson has notable advantages in his shooting profile including both height and attempts per minute. Also of distinguishing importance, Jackson profiles as a potential all world defensive player at the NBA level. First Team All NBA Defense, even for just 18-24 minutes a night behind Embiid, is value that most other players, even those who provide far better natural fits to team, couldn’t dream of adding.

Not to mention, there are possibilities for the games of Jackson and Embiid to mesh better than one would expect, especially if Jackson shoots from distance. For one, Jackson has good feet for his size and great instincts. Secondly, because the 4 to 8 minutes a night these players might play together could lead to some very interesting hybrid defenses. Imagine an NBA defense with Simmons, Fultz, Covington, Jackson and Embiid that buys enough time in man-to-man only to switch to zone with 6-10 seconds left on the shot clock, when a zone becomes increasingly difficult to break down and defensive 3 second violations should be easier to avoid.

Imagine then the variable shapes of this zone or how this personnel is versatile enough that any player could man virtually any position, and now imagine that the team calls out these possessions on the fly and the opponent never knows just when it will happen, just what shape the zone will be or if in any particular possession it will happen at all. This would be a nightmare defense for NBA teams with go-to plays as the shot clock runs down, and definitely one that would to a degree limit the opponent’s offense from getting into a rhythm. That confusion often leads to turnovers and bad shots that serve as turnovers that then lead into transition, which might be another added benefit. The addition of a player like Jaren Jackson to this roster might allow for such a possibility.

2.5 Miles Bridges

I include this table here for a number of reasons.

1) To suggest that we cool it a little on the number crunching. Not one of you would have picked Paul Pierce as freshman just based on statistics, and probably not as a sophomore, and yet, to the eye, he was by far the most impressive player of this group. Just someone who intuitively knew how to play and had all the moves. Plus, hugely competitive.

2) We definitely wouldn’t have picked Jimmy Butler or DeMar DeRozan. Players do improve as they get older, and it’s obvious looking at the numbers that Miles Bridges improved quite a lot from his freshman to his sophomore year, even if he wasn’t as dominant as some had wished. Free throw percentage, consistency as a shooter, passing, and decision making (notable in his turnovers being down despite his burden in the offense being greater). His overall defense was better in my opinion even if his defensive statistics were all down due to playing more on the outside.

Michigan State finished 10th in KenPom’s defensive metric despite starting Cassius Winston, a slow center in Nick Ward, and playing its best defensive player (Jaren Jackson) roughly as much as it played Matt McQuaid. If you don’t think Miles Bridges had something to do with that, you’re crazy. Bridges public defensive reputation is as about unfair as that of Jaylen Brown two years ago.

3) Five to twenty years ago Miles Bridges would have been no doubt chosen in the top 7 picks of the draft just because he could leap, shoot and dribble while having a reasonable idea about how to play the game and that version of the NBA was probably right. Hell, even two years ago with Jaylen Brown going #3, a player who besides athletically and with respect to perimeter defense, the ability to get to the rim and finish, really was not all that impressive (for some reason, Brown’s on ball defense was much maligned prior to the draft, probably because he didn’t create events. Events can be overrated with respect to defensive projection).

4) The dunk contest guys, the guys with athletic qualities that are ridiculous even for the NBA, and Bridges strength and leaping ability both qualify, not to mention a pretty legit first step, while also possessing skill (Bridges can shoot while also dribbling and passing decently), usually end up being real players in the league. It’s difficult to find any players like Bridges that fail, even the ones like DeMar DeRozan or Jaylen Brown, who weren’t good at all that much in college. And Miles Bridges is good at least a few things.

5) Tobias Harris, though less athletic, is another comp that has been thrown out for Miles Bridges and makes a fair degree of sense. Wing sized players whose floors scream “better than average player” and whose ceiling, even if it may be somewhat unexpected, is quite a deal higher than that, should go in the upper echelon in the draft. They should definitely go above centers who are going to get played off the floor in the playoffs.

6) There is a reasonable argument that Miles is a better prospect than Mikal, or at the very least, a safer one. More athletic. More well rounded offensive game. Stronger. More offensive success at a younger age. I’m still buying Mikal’s overall shooting and defensive package, but I’ll listen.

To Consider With Respect To Tier 2

Jackson will likely only be available with trade down from #1 or a trade up from #10. If his value to the Sixers, due to the presence of Embiid, is not significantly greater than the value of either both Bridges, this has to be weighed heavily. In other words, even if there are other reasons why Jackson would not be the choice, he seems very unlikely to end up on the Sixers based on the dynamics of where the Sixers will be picking, since I doubt they move off of Doncic for less than a player like Kawhi (and perhaps not even then).

That makes the Sixers likely choice at 10, without a trade up, whoever happens to fall between Trae, Mikal and Miles. Though in that case, they will have to hope one of these three falls. Luka, Ayton, Bagley, JJJ, Bamba seem locks to go in the top 10 as of now. That leaves Michael Porter Jr, Wendell Carter Jr, and then perhaps Trae, Miles, Mikal, Sexton, Shai and maybe a dark horse or two battling it out for spots in the top nine. There’s definitely a scenario where Trae, Miles, and Mikal are all gone in the top 8, just as there is a chance one, or maybe even two of them will fall to where the Sixers will likely select.

Sixers Big Board. Tier 3

3.6 De’Andre Hunter

Not currently in the draft, Hunter is stronger and taller than Mikal Bridges and thus potentially even more versatile on defense, but without nearly the offensive track record. Lest we not forget, Bridges himself did not have much of an offensive track record as freshman.

Although Hunter’s shooting projection is far less certain, he has shown comfort off the dribble as a redshirt freshman that Mikal Bridges simply did not have. And while projection and growth are not strictly linear, having such advantages also cannot be discounted.

Other players have been even more underdeveloped as performers in what should be their sophomore seasons, and developed into useful or quite formidable pieces of NBA offenses. Players like Jimmy Butler (not a very good comparison for Hunter or most anyone else) and Wesley Matthews (a player whose strengths and weaknesses, aside from size, roughly fit those of Hunter).

One advantage of an interest in Hunter, should he declare for the draft, is that the team could likely acquire Hunter in a trade down, allowing the Sixers either to pick up a future selection or another selection or two in this draft which could become a player like Zhaire Smith, Carsen Edwards, Jontay Porter or whoever else may pique the team’s interest.

3.6. Zhaire Smith

Like Hunter, Smith could likely be selected in a trade down. Unlike Hunter, likely in this draft. Smith is younger than Hunter with livelier athleticism, though also a smaller frame. It seems like there is untapped offensive potential to his game. One hidden indicator in Zhaire’s statistical profile that might suggest this as a possibility is exceptionally low turnovers, though it also could be nothing more than an indicator that the player had not much to do with offensive creation. Still, it’s a common feature in the profiles of players like Jimmy Butler, DeMar DeRozan, Kawhi Leonard, and Damian Lillard, an indicator for high usage and low usage players alike. And many lower usage guys, unlike Smith, still do manage to turn the ball over a fair amount.

3.6 Michael Porter Jr.

I don’t have much experience with Michael Porter Jr. What I have seen in exhibition games and the college season was not very exciting. A shot happy, stiff hipped 6-foot-10 player with on ball predilections, little passing game and some dribbling issues, both over-dribbling and hard handles. However, Porter Jr. had a reputation coming into this draft as one of its top four players. I don’t know if that’s true. On a couple of notable cases in recent seasons players with such reps have proved to be inferior basketball talents. But I’ll give the benefit of the doubt to those with more experience.

On paper, a 6-foot-10 combo forward who can slide to center at important moments, can pick and pop or roll, finish above the rim and who many thought would at least add some value on defense prior to injury fits on this team quite nicely. The injury concern is real, but if the upside is there and legit, Michael Porter Jr. is worth the shot. That being said, if the upside was imaginary to begin with, then taking Porter with any kind of high pick is probably a little questionable.

My actual inclination when watching Porter is that the players he should emulate to become the best version of himself are different than the ones to which we have heard him compared. Rather than being a taller version of Paul George, my feeling is that Porter’s greatest upside would be if he tried to become a version of Robert Horry, albeit one with much greater shot diversity. He should focus on defense, multi-position defensive versatility and canning open looks that players who are better at dribbling and passing generate for him. And that there, especially on a team like the Sixers, in which he could play off of multiple players who can generate their shots for themselves and others, we could perhaps see that version. Something like having a much more talented and athletic player in the role of Ersan Ilyasova.

Again, I have very little experience with Porter and could easily be wrong.

3.6 Shai Gilgeous-Alexander

Likely a player the Sixers would have to pick at 10. Not as much potential on ball as either Hunter or Smith but an excellent team defender who has good driving and passing ability for a player of his height. Though many list him as a point guard, he’s much more of a combo guard or shooting guard on offense at the next level, where his jump shot will have to translate. That is far from certain. Alexander is not as good as Delon Wright was in college and junior college, but there are similar athletic features and Alexander could be similarly useful to a winning team in the future. Perhaps there is more offensive potential than Delon.

3.6 Jontay Porter

The 76ers have been eaten alive over the first two games of this Miami Heat playoff series by a fully fit, perhaps for the first time in his life, Kelly Olynyk. The difference to his movement skills, stamina and overall level of play on defense are almost immediately apparent. What’s more, by On/Off, Olynyk is currently Miami’s most impactful offensive player over the course of the season. The team averaging 113 points per possession when he’s on the court, but only 103 when he’s off, which is not surprising given what we know about efficient bigs who shoot from three and provide spacing.

Here’s a statistical comparison between the two players in college:

Jontay has freshman advantages basically everywhere besides 2-point percentage, while Olynyk obviously improved quite a bit over his three years in college. This is likely to happen. Skilled players like Jontay or Olynyk, who also happen to know how to play, generally become better as they become older.

The drawback for Jontay on the Sixers is that he’ll likely only be an 18-22 mpg player. He’s likely not going to become athletic enough to play all that much beside Joel Embiid. The upside is you develop a second unit center that no one in the league can touch, one that allows your team to put up huge +/- gaps in times when top heavy teams are often trying to stay alive (the 2017-18 Toronto Raptors model). Jontay can dribble, pass and shoot. He’s also surprisingly good on defense for a player of limited athleticism. And it’s likely that with fitness improvement, athleticism will improve.

Personally a bigger fan of Jontay than Michael, but don’t have the experience with Michael in high school and at the AAU level.

Sixers Big Board. The Rest.

Most underrated Point Guard Type: Carsen Edwards

Most Underrated Wing: Bruce Brown (he was exactly what we should have expected, but improved as a creator of for others and actually hit a slightly higher percentage of mid-range jump shots. His game will ride on his jumper but there’s some upside here if he shoots off the spot. Another smaller Justise Winslow type).

Derek Fisher/Randy Brown Point Guard Types That Only Potentially Make Sense On A Team Like Philly: Jevon Carter, Khyri Thomas, De’Anthony Melton, Barry Brown.

Can’t Shoot And Probably Never Will But Potentially Decent To Possibly Even Great If They Do: Gary Clark, Ismael Sanogo, Justin Gray, Josh Reaves, Bruce Brown, Jarrey Foster, De’Anthony Melton, Trevon Duval (a lot of these players are 2nd rounders or 2-way guys but with asymmetrical upside for risk. Sanogo is the closest player we’ve seen to Luc Richard Mbah a Moute in a while. Justin Gray is probably the best 6-foot-5 defender in the draft, though maybe without quite as projectable upside as his teammate on that side).

6-foot-6 + With Dribbling, Passing and Possibly Projectable Jumper: Shake Milton, Jacob Evans, Troy Brown, Chandler Hutchison, Jerome Robinson, Kenrich Williams, Vince Edwards (the latter two are very underrated with regards to NBA prospects due to athletic deficit. This kind of player generally has a pretty high rate of success if given an opportunity, especially if accompanied by basketball IQ. Check out Royce O’Neale this year. He fit into this heuristic).

Same But Less Passing and 6-foot-“: Admiral Schofield, Rawle Alkins.

Same As The 6-foot-5 Guys but 6-foot-4 and With A Wingspan: Josh Okogie (Okogie has very similar on court weaknesses to Wade Baldwin while lacking some of the on court strengths). Also, Lonnie Walker.

6-foot-6 + With Some Dribbling, Passing, Defensive Events But Possibly Iffy Jumper: Melvin Frazier, Tim Bond.

6-foot-6 + Enough Athleticism And Some Jump Shooting Potential and Defense: Jacobi Boykins, Ben Emelogu.

Defensive Centers With Upside: Mitchell Robinson, Robert Williams, Angel Delgado (Angel Delgado is more of a Reggie Evans type rebounder and possession getter than a big D upside guy. Also a better passer than Evans).

Potential Mo Speights Type: Kyle Washington (can shoot for a backup center. Can even make difficult shots. Washington knows his role on defense).

Combo Forward: Vince Edwards, Kenrich Williams, Keita Bates-Diop, Elijah Minnie, Kevin Hervey, Kevin Knox (Knox profile basically reads as Perry Jones 2.0 but with a slightly better jump shot).

Second Round To Undrafted Point Guard Types: Jalen Brunson, Shamorie Ponds, Tookie Brown, Keenan Evans, Devonte’ Graham, Aaron Holiday, Jairus Lyles, Jaylen Adams, Khadeem Carrington.

Europeans I know Not Much About: Elie Okobo, Dzanan Musa, Isaac Bonga.

Early First Round Centers We Glossed Over: DeAndre Ayton, Marvin Bagley, Wendell Carter Jr., Mo Bamba.