The speculation and hoopla about the situation has hit a fever pitch and I'm even getting questions from readers about what the Sixers will do.
After going 27-55 and immediately firing head coach Eddie Jordan, the team began to realize that there was not a lot to look forward to on Broad Street.
When the Draft Lottery came around, the Sixers were given something they haven't possessed in years... the upper hand.
With the mismanaging of contracts by general manager Ed Stefanki, moves that will exclude the Sixers from making a run at any free agent, the team is using their only glimmer of hope (the second pick) to become relevant again.
Most, if not every Mock Draft, has the Sixers taking All-American Evan Turner with the pick and this move makes sense. The Sixers can solidify their backcourt for years to come by taking Turner. They already have their point guard of the future in Jrue Holiday who played increasingly well as the season went on and the move just makes sense.
Now, reporters like Chad Ford of ESPN are reporting that the team wants to shop the pick and trade out so they can get more picks or options in the draft. Now this is an interesting concept, but if the Sixers are going to trade this pick, it wont be because of another player in the draft, it will be to fix past mistakes.
Teams like Minnesota are chomping at the bit to talk with the Sixers, and as the draft nears closer, they will become frantic and willing to make any deal the Sixers offer. This is exactly what the team is banking on and their biggest bargaining chip... this brings me to my prediction.
If the Sixers make a move with this pick, it will require a team to take on one of the Sixers daunting max contracts they currently have on the books.
Elton Brand still has three years $51 million dollars left on his contract and this burden is holding the Sixers to a standstill in their quest to move on and become younger.
Samuel Dalembert still has a year and just over $12 million left on his deal and so called All-Star Andrea Iguodala is holding the Sixers with four years and just over $40 million on his contract.
If the Sixers are going to make a move with the second pick, it's going to have to involve one of these MASSIVE mistakes.
New head coach Doug Collins believes that the team will need, at a minimum, two years to become relevant in the league again and this is a really honest estimate.
Fans are worrying because the team is planning on bringing DeMarcus Cousins and Derrick Favors in for workouts. Fans are panicking and saying that they may take one of these players with the #2, but in all realizations, these workouts are fall back plans.
Evan Turner has one workout scheduled before the draft and that is with the Sixers. Turner has even stated in interviews that he likes the situation the team is in and would be excited to join Philadelphia.
The only reason the two big men are even coming to town is because the Sixers are banking on a last second deal.
If a deal for Dalembert/Brand is made, the team would look at taking a PF/C with whatever pick they would get and they are gathering all the options they can so they would control any potential deal.
Now let me reiterate that I don't think this would be the smartest move for the team, but financially it makes sense for a team that is out-numbered when it comes to stupid financial blunders.
Yes, with this article I become another one of those talking heads preaching about something I have no guarantee will happen and I apoligize.
With all of these random speculations fling around it's key for fans to understand the sensibility of the teams possibilities.
Hopefully the stars will align and Turner will be selected second. The team will ride out its past mistakes and move forward, but if they make a deal, maybe the team will finally wash its hands of the past time wrong doings...
-b.chan
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