Following an exceptional workout in front of numerous NBA scouts and general managers, Latvian big man Kristaps Porzingis has reportedly garnered consideration from multiple teams at the forefront of the lottery — including the 76ers. While many believing drafting Ohio State product D’Angelo Russell to fill their point guard void would be Philadelphia’s best option, there’s another route the Sixers could take to both obtain a high level point guard prospect and assure their post depth via the addition of Porzingis. If Philly were to utilize their 3rd pick of the 7’1 power forward out of Latvia, their best option would be to then trade for a pick later in the first round and draft a quality point guard prospect.

In terms of Porzingis’ fit with the Sixers, drafting him is sensible decision if they are able to eventually upgrade over Canaan at point guard. With Embiid’s injury complications solely worsening their worries in the post and Nerlens Noel’s preferable position being the 5 spot, he could immediately add a third elite prospect in the post while also providing a versatile scorer who could be a seamless fit alongside the likes of Noel. With Noel, and Embiid when healthy, thriving in the post on the offensive end, Porzingis would bring a floor spacer who could spread the defense out on the offensive end, while also contributing from mid-range, in the pick-and-roll, and down low when needed. Although his frame isn’t fully developed, Porzingis has the potential to be a quality rebounder as well by utilizing his length and instincts to plausibly improve in that facet of his game. Defensively, Porzingis’ thin frame could pose problems in the beginning, but he has the length and athleticism to be a formidable shot blocker on that end of the court. His hard working attitude and skillful prowess is a legitimate fit with the Philly organization. Brett Brown is one of the league’s top coaches in terms of maximizing players’ abilities, while Porzingis adds a nifty floor spacer and mobile big in a rotation that lacks those commodities.

The one problem with drafting Porzingis is the fact that it wouldn’t immediately address their most glaring issue: the point guard spot. Isaiah Canaan and Ishmael Smith aren’t long term solutions for a team that wants to inevitably compete at some point in the future. One method to solving this problem would be utilizing the few assets they have, such as Robert Covington and Tony Wroten, and their wealth of protected future first round picks to trade for a pick later in the first round and select a point guard to fill their needs. The best option in this scenario would be Jerian Grant, the talented combo guard out of Notre Dame. At 6’5”, Grant thrives when analyzing the defensive setup and making the smart passes while controlling the ball. His unselfish play and ability to read the opposing scheme could allow him to work the likes of Porzingis and Noel into the offense nicely, while his ball handling skills and exceptional passing makes him a dangerous pick-and-roll threat. In terms of scoring Grant’s size gives him a good bit of freedom when creating shots over smaller 1-guards, while his speed and quality perimeter shooting give him the potential to become a legitimate threat in that facet of his offensive game as well. Defensively, the size and length Grant possesses makes him a formidable prowess on that end of the court. While his effort could be improved upon, something Coach Brown specializes in, he has the tools to be a dangerous two-way threat. With the Sixers likely providing Grant an undeniable opportunity to showcase his abilities as an immediate starting point guard, this could be the best situation for his development.

Despite drafting D’Angelo Russell being the commonly suggested move for the 76ers to make, there’s a high incentive for them to trade down for another pick and take Porzingis. If they were able to add the likes of Grant alongside Porzingis in the draft, that could give Philly high level prospects at the 1, 3, 4, and 5 spots with Dario Saric eventually coming from overseas in the forthcoming seasons. Stockpiling talents and ensuring depth are all intellectually beneficial moves for the 76ers this draft, and gambling on a Porzingis-Grant pairing could be in their best long term interest.