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With the No. 3 pick in the 2015 NBA Draft the Philadelphia 76ers selected Jahlil Okafor, meaning that the 76ers will continue to add to their already talented front court.
Once D’Angelo Russell was selected No. 2 overall by the Los Angeles Lakers, it was unsure who the 76ers would select or if they would even keep their pick. But when the clock ran out and commissioner Adam Silver made his way to the podium, the 76ers stayed true to their rebuilding plan. Despite already having two talented big men on their roster in Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid, the 76ers selected who they perceived was the best player available in Okafor.
With three talented big men now on their roster, it could mean a number of things for the 76ers. First, it could just mean that the 76ers are continuing their rebuilding plan by collecting the best group of talent possible. When they are finally ready to make a move towards contention, the 76ers could then sort out their roster in order to fill in the rest of their holes.
Another thing that this pick could mean is something that should not come as a surprise to anyone. By bringing in Okafor – who is perceived as the best offensive big man in this year’s draft – and assembling a talented trio of big men, general manager Sam Hinkie could now look to flip one of these players for a collection of future assets – something he has been proven to value. Finally, the selection of Okafor could mean that the setback Embiid, last year’s No. 3 pick, suffered is worse than originally revealed.
At the end of the day, the 76ers may not have been able to draft the point guard they were after, but they were able to select a talented young center who is highly-gifted on the offensive end. Sure, they now have three young big men on their roster, but in the middle of an ongoing rebuilding plan, the 76ers can use all of the talent they can get.
Greg Sacidor is a Feature Writer for RanSports.com. Follow him on Twitter @Greg_Sacidor or add him to your network on Google.
