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We’ll be hosting a livestream on Playback starting at 4 p.m. Drew Peltzman and I (Paul Hudrick) will break down the signings of Paul George, Andre Drummond, Eric Gordon and so much more. Please feel free to hop in the chat with any questions you might have. Would love to hear from all of you!
Check out the stream below starting at 4 p.m.!
In the first day two of NBA Draft history Thursday, the Sixers took UCLA big man Adem Bona with the 41st overall pick.
He averaged 12.4 points, 5.9 rebounds and 1.8 blocks per game for the Bruins last season. He was named the Pac-12 Defensive Player of the Year for the 2023-24 season.
In Bona, the Sixers acquire arguably the best athlete in the draft. He had the highest standing vertical of any player at the NBA Draft Combine. He also has legitimate NBA size at 6-foot-8 (without shoes) and a freakish 7-4 wingspan. He’s a strong rim protector, but also possesses the ability to switch on the perimeter.
Bona is a native of Nigeria, but moved to Turkey at the age of 13 to pursue basketball. He moved to the U.S. to play high school basketball at Prolific Prep in California. He was a five-star recruit and committed to UCLA, where he spent two seasons.
He’s raw, but Bona is one of the most physically gifted players in the draft class. As Daryl Morey has made clear, he’s going to take the best player available, regardless of fit or age.
A side note: this is the pick the Sixers acquired in the deal that sent Jaden Springer to the Boston Celtics at the trade deadline.
On Wednesday night, the Sixers selected Duke’s Jared McCain 16th overall. While there are still plenty of moving parts ahead of the start free agency Sunday, we might have some roster clarity. Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey will be here. For now, so are McCain and Bona.
Every year, the folks at SB Nation put together a community mock draft, where people around the network take part. For us at LB, I (Paul Hudrick) took up the mantle for the 2024 NBA Draft.
Firstly, it’s been super exciting to break down prospects with the Sixers having two picks this year (Nos. 16 and 41). Last year was brutal — though Daryl Morey and co. did quite well post-draft in signing a pair of undrafted players: breakout rookie Ricky Council IV and microwave scorer Terquavion Smith.
Harrison Grimm and I have been doing our best to break down as many prospects as possible. It’s been arduous, but it’s also been a labor of love for the two of us.
Anyway, here’s what went down with the mock draft:
In this mock draft, several of the players you would hope could fall to the Sixers do not. The five picks directly in front of them went: USC’s Isaiah Collier, Kentucky’s Rob Dillingham, Providence’s Devin Carter, Tennessee’s Dalton Knecht and Duke’s Jared McCain. Any of those five might’ve been the pick had they fallen.
Let’s be transparent: if the board falls this way, I’d expect Morey to trade back. He might do that anyway if a player slips that other teams would covet. But understandably for this exercise there were no trades allowed. So, we move.
There were a few options that were really intriguing, even if not as spectacular as the ones above. Walter, Pitt’s Bub Carrington and Colorado’s Tristan Da Silva were all under serious consideration. Carrington’s creation ability is undeniable, but his inability to get all the way to the rim and questions about his defense have me concerned. Da Silva is an ideal glue guy, but he’s also 23 years old. It wouldn’t line up with previous Morey drafts to select a plug-and-play player this high.
Carrington would’ve been the upside pick. Da Silva would’ve been the safe pick. In Walter, you land right in the middle.
Walter’s floor is a 3-and-D wing that plays like an absolute dog. Though he hit a shooting slump during the middle of the season, he confidently fired from deep at a high volume all year long. Over his first 15 games, he hit over 40% from deep on 5.7 attempts per game. Over his last nine games, he made 38.5% on 7.2 attempts per game. But for 11 games in the middle of the season, he hit a wall. Still, 24 games of elite, high-volume shooting vs. 11 games of poor shooting.
Defensively, this guy plays like a maniac. He slides his feet well and hounds guards and wings in point-of-attack defense. He uses his 6-10 wingspan to his advantage in multiple ways, on and off the ball. He gets steals and deflections, and should easily be able to guard up at the next level because of his length and physicality. He has an excellent motor, never giving up on plays and going after loose balls.
If you’re talking “star potential,” perhaps someone like Carrington has more, but Walter is still only 19 years old and was five-star recruit. Walter doesn’t have Carrington’s ability to break people down off the dribble, but who’s to say he can’t improve there? It doesn’t look like Walter will ever be a high-level playmaker, but an elite movement shooter with slashing ability — that could turn into an elite defender — sounds pretty damn good playing next to guys like Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey.
Walter just feels like a winning player. Yes, you need stars in the NBA, but star role players are also important. Walter seems like a guy that can contribute to winning early on and possibly scale up as he gains NBA experience. The 3-and-D wing is a sacred jewel in the modern NBA. The Sixers get an elite starter kit here — with the potential for more.
Before the 2024 NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for the Sixers at Nos. 16 and 41. Next up in this series is Kentucky’s Robert Dillingham.
Coming off his freshman season, most draft analysts had Rob Dillingham as a surefire lottery pick. However, with the top of this draft’s murkiness, combined with other prospects rising, many around the league are thinking he could fall out of the lottery entirely. If he’s available at 16, should the Sixers take him despite not being the best fit? Let’s break it down.
2023-24 Stats: 32 games, 23.3 minutes, 15.2 points, 2.9 rebounds, 3.9 assists, 1 steals, 0.1 blocks, 47.5% FG, 44.4% 3P, 79.6% FT
Team: Kentucky
Year: Freshman
Position: PG
Height (without shoes) & Weight: 6’1” | 164.2 lbs
Born: January 4th, 2005 (19 years old)
Hometown: Hickory, North Carolina
High School: Donda Academy (Simi Valley, California)
Rob Dillingham shines offensively as a shot creator. He’s shifty and is more than capable changing directions on a whim. He gets to where he wants more times than not, finishing with runners or crafty layups. Dillingham also is a proven shooter, who hit nearly half of his catch-and-shoot threes during his freshman season. Whether it’s off movement or standard spot-ups, he’s solidified himself as one of the best shooters in this draft. Off ball, he’s more than willing to cut or even set screens, which could pair great with a playmaking big (cough, Joel Embiid, cough). Dillingham’s four assists per game don’t scream playmaker, but he’s very skilled; he’s capable of cross-court kickouts or wraparound passes. At Kentucky, Dillingham drastically improved as a passer, passing out of pick-and-rolls in 57 percent of possessions (per Synergy). Defensively, Dillingham plays with effort and chases shooters through screens and handoffs.
Dillingham’s commendable defensive effort has come back to bite him at times. He’s been erratic at times, getting too handsy, lost, or out of position too often. Dillingham’s frame is small, both in size and weight. Unlike other guards (such as Tyrese Maxey who is 6-foot-2 with a 6-foot-8 wingspan), he doesn’t have a big wingspan which may limit his defensive potential even if he does add some weight or size. While Dillingham has improved as a passer, there’s still some room for more improvement — his passes often require his teammates to catch and adjust accordingly. At the college level, Dillingham proved to be a capable finisher but the NBA’s increased size and length may challenge his ability.
Barring a huge growth spurt, Dillingham will almost certainly be a full-time point guard at the next level. He simply lacks the size or length to defend twos or other positions. Comparing his play style to other players, it’s hard not to draw comparisons to Kemba Walker — a smaller guard who used his quickness, shiftiness and handle to break down defenders.
SB Nation mock draft: No. 12th, OKC Thunder
Most have Rob Dillingham as a sure-fire lottery pick, however recent rumors and reports suggest that he might slip out of the top-14. If he’s available at 16, I think it would be a borderline no-brainer move to draft him. Dillingham’s talent alone is legit, and while there would be size concerns alongside Tyrese Maxey, they could ease him into the league in a backup/fringe rotation role. Or they could draft Dillingham and use him in a future deal. Several rebuilding teams need up-and-coming point guards and there would be a real market for him if he’s made available.
Before the 2024 NBA Draft, we’ll take an in-depth look at different prospects here at Liberty Ballers and try to figure out which players would be the best fit for the Sixers at Nos. 16 and 41. Next up in this series is Baylor’s Jalen Bridges.
After starting his collegiate career near home at West Virginia, Jalen Bridges transferred to Baylor for his final two seasons. As a redshirt senior in 2023-24, Bridges was a huge part of the Bears’ success, showing off the type of skillset that makes him an ideal 3-and-D wing prospect — and possibly more.
2023-24 Stats: 35 games, 31.7 minutes, 12.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 1.4 assists, 1.1 steals, 0.6 blocks, 46.6% FG, 41.2% 3P, 82.3% FT
Team: Baylor
Year: Redshirt senior
Position: SF/PF
Height (without shoes) & Weight: 6’6.75” | 213.4 lbs
Born: May 14, 2001 (23 years old)
Hometown: Fairmont, West Virginia
High School: Fairmont Senior High School
Jalen Bridges has developed into a dynamic shooter with clean mechanics, capable of shooting off of screens or off the dribble. He displayed some level of shot creation in some of his pull-up jumpers, showcasing in-out dribbles on drives and spin moves. He likely won’t ever be a full-time ball hander, but he can at least attack closeouts or take the ball up the court on fast breaks. Bridges is a smart player and moves well off the ball often relocating on the perimeter for threes or cutting at the right time for opportunities at the rim. Defensively, Bridges uses his 6-10 wingspan well and is able to switch onto a variety on positions. He slides his feet well, along with disrupting passing lanes. Baylor liked to use zone defense, with Bridges being effective within it.
Bridges is one of the more refined prospects slated to go in the second round, meaning there aren’t too many holes in his game. Prior to this year, he was an inconsistent three-point shooter — shooting 34.4 percent from three throughout his first three collegiate seasons. Compared to other multi-year prospects, he was a low-usage player which suggests he’ll never be able to be a full-time creator.
Bridges has the size and quickness to guard anywhere from 1-3; even capable of guarding smaller fours. On the court, he’ll be best optimized as a true wing next to a traditional point guard. He has a lot of Royce O’Neale to his game — a wing who can guard most players, hit threes at a high clip and provide secondary playmaking.
Second round
The Sixers currently are slated to pick at 41st overall, which falls right into the range most expect Jalen Bridges to go. Bridges’ age makes his ceiling lower, but most label him as a surefire second-round pick that should be able to help teams fast compared to other prospects.
The Celtics are about to win the NBA Finals. Who cares?
The most important thing to happen ahead of Game 4 was Joel Embiid popping on NBA Countdown on ESPN — seated next to potential free-agent-to-be Paul George.
Social media was abuzz as soon as that picture went live. George, a nine-time All-Star, has a player option with the Clippers for the 2024-25 season. If he declines that option, he’ll hit free agency. If that happens, the Sixers are expected to be the top team after his services.
When Embiid spoke, he made sure to let everyone know how he felt about the basketball team from Boston:
Embiid has been steadfast over the years in saying that he doesn’t want to meddle with what the team’s front office is doing. But when the opportunity presented itself, he seemingly made a not-so-subtle pitch to George on live television. Below is a zoomed in look at the video above.
Embiid is a former MVP. One of the best players on the planet. Even at his size, there are few things he can’t do on a basketball court.
But subtlety has never been his strength.
For many Sixers fans, this is likely a welcomed sight (depending on how you feel about the team signing George). Embiid basically saying on ESPN, “Hey, Daryl, this is the player we should get!” is quite the departure from his previous offseason approaches.
For what it’s worth, George has admired Embiid from afar and the two have developed a relationship. Just this past season, George gushed about Embiid on his podcast, calling the big man this generation’s version of Shaquille O’Neal.
The funny thing is you would think Tyrese Maxey, who grew up in Garland, Texas, would be there in Dallas to join the recruitment wagon. Alas, Maxey appears to be in Paris for an event with New Balance. Perhaps Maxey joined Embiid and George for a late-night FaceTime call.
While we shouldn’t get too far ahead of ourselves, Embiid being in Dallas at the NBA Finals while George is also there feels mighty purposeful.