The Philadelphia 76ers had reportedly asked top point guard prospect De’Aaron Fox about the possibility of playing off-ball next to Ben Simmons. Jessica Camerato of CSNPhilly.com reported the Sixers appear to be intrigued by Fox’s skill set. The 6-foot-3 guard out of Kentucky is shooting up across several Mock Drafts as of late after showing his speed and athleticism at the NBA Draft Combine.
Playing off-ball to Ben Simmons
Camerato believes Fox is a legit option at no.3 if the Sixers hold on to that pick. On the other hand, she could also see Philadelphia picking Fox’s backcourt partner Malik Monk in a down trade scenario.
“I’ve said before; I could see Fox going third. The speedy point guard met with the Sixers at the draft combine and outlined how he would fit playing off the ball with Ben Simmons and finding opportunities with Joel Embiid. Is three a stretch for him? I don’t think so.”
The 19-year old Fox is scheduled to hold private workouts with the Lakers and the Sixers between June 11 to 17. The Sixers have been grooming Simmons, the no.1 overall pick in last year’s draft, to be the primary ball handler next season, so finding a knockdown shooter/scorer in the draft is a Top Priority.
Ersan Ilyasova free-agency update
The Sixers are reportedly not interested in bringing back Turkish big man Ersan Ilyasova, who played well for Brett Brown before he was shipped to the Atlanta Hawks at the trade deadline.
In a separate piece, Camerato stated the Sixers aren’t inclined in re-signing Ilyasova as they want to maintain flexibility with their frontline core.
The Oklahoma City traded Ilyasova to the Sixers in exchange for Jeremy Grant three games into the 2016/17 season. The 6-foot-10 Turk fit in with the Sixers right away as he provided a much-needed offense outside the main man Joel Embiid.
In 53 games in Philadelphia, Ilyasova averaged 14.8 points and 5.9 rebounds in 27 minutes per game. He proved not only a nice complement next to Embiid but also instrumental in Dario Saric’s development.
Although Ilyasova played a big part in their offense, the Sixers had no choice but to trade him to the Atlanta Hawks for additional assets.
The Sixers received Brazilian center Tiago Splitter, a protected 2017 second-round picks and an option to pick swap a second-rounder in exchange for unloading Ilyasova’s expiring contract.
Camerato added that landing a long-term contract with a no-trade clause will be the main focus for Ilyasova after playing for five NBA teams within a span of three years. The 30-year old Turk is expected to draw significant offers from several suitors, especially those teams who need some scoring punch off the bench.
Kristaps Porzingis trade scenario
Joe Giglio of NJ.com stirred up the internet several days ago after suggesting a hypothetical trade involving New York Knicks budding star Kristaps Porzingis and a slew of Sixers’ youngsters and picks.
He thinks the Sixers are capable of shaking up the NBA Draft by trading Dario Saric, Robert Covington, this year’s no.3 pick, unprotected first-round picks from the Los Angeles Lakers (2018) and Sacramento Kings (2019) to the Knicks in exchange for Porzingis.
Again, the Knicks and the Sixers have not entered in any trade discussion or exploratory talks. Giglio is merely suggesting what would happen if the Sixers roll the dice on the sweet shooting Latvian in an attempt to form a triumvirate of young stars (Porzingis, Embiid, and Simmons).
