Interesting NBA Draft Dilemma
The 2017 NBA Draft class is as good as any since 2003 - the draft with LeBron, Melo, D-Wade, and Chris Bosh. The results of the NBA lottery on May 16 will go a long way in determining which franchises return to glory and which franchises continue down the path of mediocrity. An interesting wrinkle of the lottery this year involves the Lakers. If the Lakers pick falls in the top three they get to keep it. Lonzo Ball would likely be their target. However, if their pick falls out of the top three the pick is given to the 76ers. In that scenario the 76ers would have two top-five picks, their own and then the pick belonging to the Lakers. Let's say those picks turn out to be numbers 4 and 5 (which is likely).
This brings up an interesting question: If you are the 76ers and you have the 4th and 5th overall picks in the NBA Draft do you try and bundle those picks together and trade for the number one overall pick, or would you rather have two top-five picks?
Let's look back at the 2003 Draft to better analyze this question. The 1st overall pick that year was LeBron James. Transcendent talent. The 4th and 5th overall picks were Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh. Which scenario is better. Would you rather have LeBron, or both Wade and Bosh? I think the answer to that question is LeBron.
This year the top two players in the eyes of most are Markelle Fultz and Lonzo Ball. I wouldn't put either in the LeBron category, but surely they could both be perennial All-Stars. After these two, there is a bit off a drop-off, but not much. Josh Jackson, Jayson Tatum, Malik Monk, De'Aaron Fox, and Jonathan Isaac all have All-Star potential.
If this were 2003 and LeBron were available, I would trade the 4th and 5th picks to move up to number one. This year, I would not. I would prefer, if I were the 76ers, to have both the 4th and 5th picks. Having, let's say, Jayson Tatum and De'Aaron Fox is far superior in my eyes than having just one of Markelle Fultz or Lonzo Ball.
