76ers Draft Recap and Off-Season Priorities

The Philadelphia 76ers have picked up some talent in this year’s NBA Draft. They were able to add first round picks Zhaire Smith and Landry Shamet, and second round pick Shake Milton.

Smith, a shooting guard from Texas Tech was picked 16th, Shamet, a point guard from Wichita State was picked 26th, and Milton is a shooting guard from SMU, picked 54th.

The Sixers picked up Smith through a trade for the tenth pick, Mikal Bridges. Bridges is more likely than Smith to contribute immediately and the team might need to focus on tapping into the Smith’s talent in the off-season. Despite losing Bridges, they save money in cap space through the trade which could help them in the long run.

What comes next for the Sixers is the off-season.

This off-season could be vital for Philadelphia and a few priorities stand out that could make them a force to be reckoned with. The Sixers have some money to spend on free agents. They could potentially go after Lebron James this summer. A Pennsylvania company paid for a billboard urging James to come to the Sixers and he reportedly was flattered by it.

Kawhi Leonard could be another target for the Sixers to go after. Along with Leonard, the Sixers might go after Oklahoma City’s Paul George. Philadelphia has the money and the young talent to help them recruit and potentially snag one of the three stars.

Their other priority is to focus on the talent they do have already. Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons are stand out players for the Sixers. Simmons can drive to the lane but lacked this season on three-pointers. If the Sixers focus on Simmons’ shooting range in the off-season, he could be an all-around threat.

Additionally, Markelle Fultz has yet to live up to his potential with the team and he could be an important component as he continues to grow. What’s interesting though is the Sixers’ choice of another point guard in the draft, Landry Shamet. This begs the question of what Fultz’s future will be with the Sixers and how his role might change in the off-season.