By: Jesse Larch, Sports Talk Philly Staff 
In the 2017 draft, there is one player that is a consensus pick. Aside from Washington's Markelle Fultz, the following selections are very much up in the air.
After Fultz, there are plenty of prospects with great potential, and that is precisely why the Sixers should trade down from the third pick.
The next group of prospects includes Lonzo Ball, De'Aaron Fox, Josh Jackson, and Jayson Tatum. The next group is ever so slightly behind, and on some teams' boards they are equal. that group includes Malik Monk, Dennis Smith Jr., and Jonathan Isaac.
That is seven players whose skill level is very close to one another, although they all bring different things to the table.
With the sheer depth of the top end of the draft, the Sixers would be wise to shop their third overall pick, and according to reports their is a suitor ready to make a deal:
The Kings are currently shopping their No. 5 and No. 10 overall picks in hopes of drafting De'Aaron Fox (ESPN).
— Hoop Central (@TheHoopCentral) June 7, 2017
If this report is true, then the Sixers should jump at the opportunity to move back with the Sacramento Kings. The Kings are the ideal partner, with two top-10 picks. It would also be poetic for the Sixers to use the Kings' own pick that they received in the pick swap to move back to get the pick that the Sixers originally owned and an additional first round pick.
By moving back to five, the Sixers will still get a player of the same quality as if they stay at third overall. In this scenario, two of Ball, Jackson, Monk, and Tatum are guaranteed to be on the board. All five of these players fill a need for the Sixers while providing tremendous value.
Ball provides the Sixers with a true point guard, who can maximize Ben Simmons's versatility on both ends of the floor, by playing off of the ball when Simmons controls the offense, and then switch to allow Simmons to play closer to the glass while Ball defends the opposing team's point guard.
Josh Jackson gives the Sixers much needed help on the wing, with the versatility to play shooting guard and small forward. Jackson would improve the Sixers' defensive identity, as he is considered the best defensive prospect in this draft. A defense anchored by Jackson and Joel Embiid would be imposing to any team. Jackson is electric in transition, but still needs to refine his jumper.
Jayson Tatum is a player who completely understands his playing style. He is a competent defender at small forward with an elite mid-range game. Tatum is a player who continued to improve as the season went on last year, and showed that he still has room to grow. Tatum may have the highest floor of all of the prospects available at this point in the draft.
Malik Monk is the only one of these players who would have raised some eyebrows if he was selected at third overall, and the keyword is "might." Monk has maybe the most advanced shooting stroke of any prospect in the draft. He regularly hit NBA-range three pointers in college and his sharpshooting ability is something that the Sixers have lacked for years. The Sixers have a strong post presence with Embiid, Simmons, and Dario Saric. Monk would be able to space the floor to get everybody more open looks.
With hardly any drop off in talent from three to five, the Sixers can get an extra top-10 pick and still get a player that they were targeting at third overall.
With the 10th overall pick, the Sixers can add another important piece. The talent level does decline between five and 10, but there are still good prospects to be acquired. It is possible, although unlikely, that Dennis Smith Jr. or Jonathan Isaac fall to 10th overall, but the Sixers can get a player like Justin Jackson, Lauri Markkanen, or Frank Ntilikina who all look like long-term starters in the NBA.
Justin Jackson went through the pre-draft process a season ago, and decided to return to North Carolina for another season. The wing took advantage of the extra year by improving every aspect of his game to make him into a potential top-10 talent. Jackson displayed a coachability and a strong work ethic to improve his skill set, most notably as a shooter, averaging 18.4 points per game and shooting 36.8 percent from three-point range.
Lauri Markkanen is a seven-foot stretch-four who shot over 40 percent from three and over 80 percent from the free throw line while averaging 15.6 points and 7.2 rebounds at the University of Arizona. The Sixers do have Dario Saric in a similar role currently, but Markkanen could bolster the bench, take over the starting job if he reaches his full potential, or become a valuable trade chip.
Frank Ntilikina would add tremendous length to the Sixers' backcourt with a reported seven-foot wingspan and he has the distinct quality of professional experience. Ntilikina played in the top league in France, and he posted uninspiring numbers in limited minutes, but he remains one of the highest rated guards in this year's draft.
This scenario gives the Sixers the most value. The drop in talent and potential from third overall to fifth overall is almost non-existent. The Sixers can move back two spots and be rewarded with the 10th overall pick also, giving the Sixers two pieces that figure to be a part of the team for the long term.
To get this trade done the Sixers will have to include the third overall selection, and there is an outside chance that the Sixers can get five and 10 in return just for the third overall based on the trade history of Kings' general manager Vlade Divac. The Sixers can also include another player or two. Jahlil Okafor appears to be a player that Sixers' general manger Bryan Colangelo wants to move based on rumors from the trade deadline, and a report that Okafor told people close to him that he will be traded this summer.
The Sixers could also include a wing to help the Kings, as De'Aaron Fox is a playmaker and not a natural scorer. Gerald Henderson, Jerryd Bayless, and Nik Stauskas could all make sense for the Kings to fill this role.
Would you rather the Sixers stay at third overall, or trade down with Sacramento to pick up two top-10 selections?
Some #SixersTalk: Of these prospects, which is the best fit for the #Sixers?#NBADraft
— Jesse James Larch (@JesseLarch) June 8, 2017
