Sixers CEO, Scott O'Neil is thrilled with lottery the results.
Now that the NBA lottery is done, we have some clarity in terms of what draft picks teams will have, but a number of teams still have a significant amount of uncertainty over what they will ultimately do with those selections. Uncertainty that could change the landscape of the NBA depending on what decisions are made.
That starts at the top of the draft with the Philadelphia 76ers, who finally received the ping pong ball luck they've been hoping for over the past three years. While the Sixers will now have their pick of the field, it's a decision that is going to be heavily debated for weeks.
Both Ben Simmons out of LSU, and Brandon Ingram out of Duke, have strong cases to be made for why they should be selected first overall by the Sixers.
Ingram's shooting, as he connected on 41% of his 195 three-point attempts on the season, would naturally fit on a Sixers roster centered around some combination of Jahlil Okafor, Joel Embiid, and Nerlens Noel in the post. Ben Simmons' athleticism and passing, however, would give the Sixers the potential focal point they've been desperately seeking.
With the two men close in talent, even if completely different in styles of play, who the Sixers select may come down to which one is the best gamble. This is one area where they should be able to get more information than most, with Brett Brown's deep ties to Australian basketball, and Jerry Colangelo's close relationship with Mike Krzyzewski, giving them the ability to gather as much information as possible, and make the most informed decision.
That leg up in being able to perform background work on Simmons and Ingram could be crucial, as there's already speculation that Simmons would prefer to land in Los Angeles, at least in part fueled by increased marketing potential Simmons would gain. If Simmons does try to force his way to the Lakers, Philadelphia could be make a decision without having brought him in for a workout. So far, Simmons has skipped attending both the NBA Combine and the Lottery.
In contrast, the Lakers selection at No. 2 should be relatively simple, as they should just go with who falls to them. There is some concern how a Simmons – Julius Randle front court pairing would work, especially defensively, but with such a steep drop off in talent after Simmons and Ingram, going with another prospect would be almost unimaginable.
That brings up the Boston Celtics at No. 3, which is where this draft becomes really interesting. Boston has been steadily improving over the years, from 25 wins in 2013-14, to 40 in 2014-15, and 48 last season, placing them firmly in contention for one of the top slots in the Eastern Conference.
Being at the top of the draft, having playoff expectations, set at the point guard spot, and in constant search to combine the assets they've been accumulating into a superstar player, means the Celtics could go in any number of directions. The third and fourth ranked players on most team's draft boards – Croatian big man Dragan Bender and Providence point guard Kris Dunn – may not be fits with what Boston is looking for because of that.
Would Boston "reach" for players, and go against the consensus to draft for more of a position, and skill set, of need? Shooting is something Boston needs, which brings up the possibility of Jamal Murray out of Kentucky, who averaged 20 points per game and shot 40.8% from three-point range, or Buddy Hield, who finished the season averaging 25 points per game and shooting nearly 46% from three.
The final option, which isn't out of the question when you talk to people around the league, is that Boston could trade the pick. Danny Ainge has long been rumored to be looking for that franchise player to build around, and the third overall pick provides him with one of his best trade chips to get it done, especially if he doesn't see a player with that kind of long-term upside out of the pool of players to select from. Trading a high pick is always risky, but in a draft that most estimate has a steep drop off after the top-2 prospects, and with Boston being in such a unique position being in the playoffs and with a selection at the top of the draft, this could set up a scenario where anything is on the table come draft night.
With the results of the lottery set, endless speculation is about to begin over what these three teams will do, speculation which will then drive what could happen with the rest of the lottery. It should make for a fascinating next five weeks.
USA Today Sport's Derek Bodner reviews three players who stock is rising after participating in the 2016 NBA Draft Combine. USA TODAY SPORTS
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