5 Burning Questions Following the 2016 NBA Draft Lottery

The NBA’s lottery gods have spoken. The 2016 draft order is set, and the Philadelphia 76ers, owners of the No. 1 pick, have reason to rejoice.

Here’s a look at how the rest of Tuesday night’s selection process panned out:

The full results are in for the #NBADraftLottery pic.twitter.com/CLN4fTPRhO

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) May 18, 2016

Feel that? It’s the sensation of pressing, post-lottery questions burning a hole in your brain. But don’t worry.

We’re about to stoke that fire some more.

 

Honorable Mention: Where Do the Suns Go from Here?

As of now, the Phoenix Suns, who own three first-rounders in this year’s prospect pageant, plan to keep their No. 4 selection, per Paul Coro of AZCentral.com:

McDonough said it seems more likely at this stage that the Suns keep the 4th and 13th picks. That could mean a stash or a trade with No. 28.

— Paul Coro (@paulcoro) May 18, 2016

Mystery abounds beyond that blueprint. The Suns are rebuilding yet have more than $26.6 million committed to the backcourt pairing of Eric Bledsoe and Brandon Knight next season alone. Mix in Tyson Chandler’s $12.4 million salary with Devin Booker’s meteoric rise through the rookie ranks, and you get total confusion.

Could the Suns look to package any of their three picks, including the fourth overall slot, in an effort to speed up the quasi-rebuild they started after surprising in 2013-14? Should they look to unload some combination of their high-paid talent in an attempt to hit reset and reinvent themselves around Booker and whomever they take at No. 4?

Or, more detrimentally, will they continue this flawed balancing act, remaining caught between rebuilding and competing, without ever really paving a direct path to anywhere?

Decisions, decisions.

 

Who Will the Sixers Take with the No. 1 Pick?

Duke’s Brandon Ingram or LSU’s Ben Simmons?

This is the only question that matters for the Sixers after they won the lottery. And make no mistake, it’s a tough one.

Heading into Tuesday night, there didn’t appear to be a consensus first choice around the league, according to NBA.com’s Scott Howard-Cooper:

Still very little separation for No. 1. Some teams leaning Simmons, some Ingram. When I asked one exec for a vote, he said: “Simgram.”

— Scott Howard-Cooper (@SHowardCooper) May 15, 2016

Most mock drafts, including those from Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman, tend to lean toward Simmons even though his jumper lacks polish. He attempted just three triples and shot 32.9 percent on two-point jumpers at LSU, according to Hoop-Math.com.

But Simmons looks like the more transcendent player. He can defend more positions, has the vision of a point guard and is ridiculously athletic. All things being equal, he is better equipped to be the foundation upon which an entire team is built.

Except all things aren’t equal in Philadelphia, as Joel Embiid kindly reminded the world at large:

The #3 Pick from the 2014 draft is gonna be ready too… Let’s get it

— Joel Embiid (@JoelEmbiid) May 18, 2016

The Sixers already have three bigs on the roster with Embiid, Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor. The 6’10” Dario Saric is expected to come stateside for the first time next season as well.

Selecting Simmons would be overkill, creating a complete and utter roster imbalance unlike anything the NBA has ever seen, as NJ.com’s Joe Giglio jokingly yet usefully observed:

PG: SimmonsSG: SaricSF: NoelPF: OkaforC: EmbiidThe Sixers could play the first all-6’10” or bigger lineup in NBA history.

— Joe Giglio (@JoeGiglioSports) May 18, 2016

Newly instated president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo already needs to break up that traffic jam. Selecting Simmons would exacerbate the situation and force him to deal two to three of Embiid, Noel, Okafor and Saric—assuming the Sixers wish to space the floor anytime soon.

It would seem then that Ingram is the clear choice. He can stroke threes and play small forward without issue. Even if he ends up being a power forward at some point, he would be easier to integrate now as Philly tries to figure out its frontcourt.

And yet, if Simmons is the better building block, the Sixers might not want to reach for Ingram even if it’s only a slight reach. Might they draft him and then dangle most of their incumbent frontcourt in trade talks? Or do they, as the Cauldron’s Andy Glockner proposed, try to move down in a blatant asset grab?

Any chance the Sixers try to swap with the Lakers and pick up extra assets …

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