Grading the Sixers’ Draft Picks

By Kevin McCormick, Sports Talk Philly Editor

The 2020 NBA draft has come and gone, and it’s safe to say the new Sixers’ front office regime has left its mark. Between draft day trades and selections, the team looks to be trending in the right direction. 

Heading into the night the Sixers had five selections but would only end up making three. Here are my grades for each of the Sixers’ picks.

Pick No. 21: Tyrese Maxey 

Grade: A+

When the draft process began, Tyrese Maxey was looked at as a lottery pick. The Sixers landing him with the 21st overall pick is a tremendous value. He is already being talked about as being the steal of this draft. 

The Sixers needed to upgrade at the guard position and then have done that in drafting Maxey. His ability to create offense and score in multiple ways should be a big boost to the Sixers’ offense. 

On day one Maxey will be a spark plug off the Sixers’ bench and provide much-needed scoring for the second unit. If he can continue to improve his shot from deep, Maxey could be the starting point guard of the future. 

It’s not every year that you land a lottery-level player at the back end of the first round. That is why this pick is a no-brainer A+ pick for the Sixers. 

Pick No. 49: Isaiah Joe 

Grade: A 

Another area that the Sixers needed to improve was outside shooting. Along with trading for two knockdown shooters on draft day, they used one of their second-round picks on one as well. 

Despite being picked towards the end of the draft, Isaiah Joe has a chance to become an NBA rotation player. Along with his NBA-ready range from deep, Joe also has the measurables to hang around in the league. 

Standing at six foot five with a six foot ten wingspan, Joe has a good base for a three-and-D player. His main area of concern is weight, weighing just 180 pounds. Adding on muscle is the key thing he needs to address at the NBA level. 

In his two years at Arkansas, Joe shot 37.8% from three on nine attempts a game. Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid could never have enough shooting around them, making taking a chance on Joe an easy decision. 

Pick No. 58: Paul Reed 

Grade: B+

With their third and final pick of the night, the Sixers selected big man Paul Reed out of DePaul. Although this pick is graded a B+, Reed was the most fascinating pick in the draft for the Sixers. 

Last season for DePaul Reed averaged 15.1 PPG, 10.1 RPG, and a stellar 2.6 BPG. Despite standing at just six foot nine, he plays much bigger than he is. 

After recent cuts to the Sixers’ roster, it looks like Reed will be taking one of the team’s two-way slots this year. The time in the G-League could benefit Reed as he figures out what his role will be in the NBA. It will also give the Sixers a chance to see how versatile he can be at the NBA level. 

Reed’s size and game make him a very interesting prospect. His ability to rebound and defend around the rim at his size makes him a potential small-ball center. Reed is also a great athlete who runs the floor great. 

The idea of him and Ben Simmons in the frontcourt together is an interesting one. Reed can also step out and knock down shots on the perimeter, which could open lanes for Simmons and Tobias Harris when Joel Embiid is off the floor. 

This is a pick where the grade could change down the line. If Reed can show he can play his same style at the NBA level, he becomes an extremely versatile prospect for the Sixers. He could even put himself in the conversation to be the backup to Embiid somewhere down the line. 

Although the Sixers’ front office had limited time together heading into this draft, they performed outstandingly. They addressed major areas of need and have greatly improved the fit of the Sixers’ roster. Now it’s time to see how they can finish rounding things out in free agency.