NBA draft month is here and the Sixers now have a president of basketball operations in Mike Gansey.
Here’s a look at recent projections for the what the team will do with the 22nd pick on June 23:
Luigi Suigo, KK Mega Basket
O’Connor: “Suigo has said he wants to be the Italian Wemby and, at 7-foot-3 with passing feel and shooting touch, you can see why a teenager might put that out into the universe. Suigo lacks the handle and self-creation chops to ever be the best player on a team, but his dynamic skills as a passer, shooter, and lob threat layer cleanly on top of baseline center duties as a screener, finisher, and rim protector. Becoming the Italian Marc Gasol is a more realistic goal, and (Suigo) would be a dream fit alongside Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe for many years to come.”
Suigo would be quite the bold pick for Gansey in his first draft with the Sixers. As an international prospect, Suigo has a deadline of June 13 to withdraw from the draft. DraftExpress’ Jonathan Givony wrote on May 12 that Suigo “appears to be Villanova-bound.” In the Adriatic League last season, Suigo averaged 8.1 points, 5.3 rebounds and 1.1 blocks in 18.1 minutes per game.
Koa Peat, Arizona
Cobb: “Peat is a relentlessly physical forward whose stock is hindered by a 3-point shot that was MIA during his lone college season at Arizona. But Peat will be able to hold his own against nearly anyone defensively from day one. If the outside shot comes along, Peat will be an NBA starter.”
Peat comes from an extremely athletic family. His father, Todd Peat Sr., was an NFL guard. Brother Andrus Peat is a three-time Pro Bowl offensive lineman. The 6-foot-7, 245-pound Peat posted 14.1 points, 5.6 rebounds and 2.6 assists per game for the Wildcats. He rarely fired beyond the arc, going 7 for 20 from three-point range (35 percent), and made only 62.3 percent of his free throws.
Jayden Quaintance, Kentucky
Peek: “Quaintance didn’t have the year he hoped at Kentucky after tearing his ACL during his freshman season at Arizona State. The staff took their time in allowing him to return to the court and there were glimpses of what he could project to be as a future NBA center. With the 76ers, he would have the time to develop and learn behind Joel Embiid.”
He played just four games at Kentucky, but Quaintance sure looks the part of a strong NBA defender. The 18-year-old measured in at 6-foot-9 and a sturdy 253 pounds at the NBA draft combine with a wingspan slightly over 7-5. He’s nimble on the perimeter and blocked 2.6 shots per game as a freshman.
Allen Graves, Santa Clara
O’Donnell: “Graves would fill a position of need for the Sixers at power forward while also offering two-way upside if he can cut down on fouling. The redshirt freshman from Santa Clara forced turnovers at an incredible rate this season while also shooting 40 percent from three, but his aggressive play led to a lot of hacking that kept him in a sixth man role. Graves isn’t the best athlete, but this area of the draft feels right for an analytics darling who measured well at the combine (7-foot wingspan and 225-pound frame) and has some real skill flashes.”
O’Donnell’s latest mock draft is based on what he’d do with every pick. We profiled Graves here.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Buckley
Morez Johnson Jr., Michigan
Buckley: “Johnson, who was a huge winner at the Combine with great measurements, athletic testing and shooting drills, seems like one of the safest bets on the board. Even if he survives on mostly spoonfed scoring chances, he’ll be such an asset on defense as a switchable stopper and havoc-wreaker that his impact will feel substantial.”
Johnson transferred from Illinois to Michigan after his freshman season and excelled in many areas for the national championship-winning Wolverines. Here’s a rundown on his game.
