NBA Draft | Upon drink-aided reflection, Sixers ‘won’ just with Simmons

by Jack Kerwin  |  ydkjack1@gmail.com

It was a downer.

The 76ers entered the 2016 NBA Draft last Thursday night locked and loaded, ready to take Ben Simmons with the No. 1 pick and set to do some wheeling and dealing in order to make the extended downturn in the organization’s history a distant memory in short order a “go.”

Only once they grabbed the key and settled into the driver’s seat, it was like they suddenly froze at the wheel, unsure about their directions or unable to follow them due to some road block.

Whatever the deal was, it left a fan base in limbo – elated on the one hand that the team landed the top player available and, frankly, kinda disappointed that not much else happened aside from the selection of two “draft now, play later” Europeans.

Yo, who let Sam Hinkie back in the building? What the …

Anyway, several days and cocktails later, reality has had a chance to set in a bit, and here it is:

Kudos to GM Brian Colangelo, head coach Brett Brown and Co. for sticking to their guns and going with Simmons instead of a getting swayed by growing sentiment from the masses and media that Brandon Ingram was the guy to take at the top.

In truth, it was a no-brainer … only, sometimes when an overwhelming amount of “wisdom” states to go a different route, it takes some serious brains, and conviction, to stay the course.

Thing is, after that anything else the Sixers did would have been gravy. Yeah, sure, being able to move someone from their overloaded and immature frontcourt and parlay that into “starter from Day One” point guard Kris Dunn would have been nice, and having local product DeAndre Bembry available when they chose later in the first round would have been tickle-me icing on the cake.

But, c’mon … even Hollywood may have had a hard time buying that script. Heck, the NBA may have had to rig another lottery for Cleveland if the Sixers had all that fall into place.

Bottom line: they got the best player, period.

Or, more appropriately, the best bet. Reason being, no one knows what the future holds for anyone, never mind teenage kids making the jump from college – or across the Atlantic Ocean – to the pros. Injuries or unmet expectations could derail even a talent such as Simmons.

But, right now, he enters the NBA with a multi-faceted skill set that dwarfs not just the ones belonging to others drafted, yep, even Ingram, but the vast majority of players already in the league. With his size, freakish athleticism and innate basketball wherewithal, he projects to a level that only the most rarefied ever reach: transcendent.

So, we have no reason not to be upbeat in and around Philly, and throughout Sixer Nation everywhere … right?

Damn, you, Boston, Minnesota and Atlanta.

The first two refused to pull the trigger on trades that would’ve yielded Dunn and the latter jumped the proverbial shark to take Bembry at No. 21 – three spots ahead of the Sixers, who ultimately chose French swingman Timothe Luwawu at 24 … and then Turkish shooting guard Furkan Korkmaz at 26.

Zzzzzz …

Just remember, though, the Sixers got Simmons – and nothing was more pivotal, or important, than that.

Mission accomplished.

No downer.

---

In truth, it was a no-brainer ... only sometimes when an overwhelming amount of "wisdom" states to go a different route, it takes some serious brains, and conviction, to stay the course. Thing is, after (drafting Simmons) anything else the Sixers did would have been gravy. Yeah, sure, being to able to move someone from their overloaded and immature frontcourt and parlay that into "starter from Day One" point guard Kris Dunn would have been nice, and having local product DeAndre Bembry available when they chose later in the first round would have been tickle-me icing on the cake. But, c'mon ... even Hollywood may have had a hard time buying that script. Heck, the NBA may have had to rig another lottery for Cleveland if the Sixers had all that fall into place. Bottom line: they got the best player, period.