It’s pretty obvious to a lot of people in the NBA that the Sixers have a real lack of shooting talent. The good news is that this year's draft class is stacked with players who can fill that hole. Today, we'll take a look at 5 shooting guards the Sixers should target in this year’s draft.
Desmond Bane – TCU
A true scoring guard who has the fantastic ability to score at all 3 levels, Bane also possesses great passing ability that elevates the whole team. A realistic option at pick 21 who stands at 6'6 and 215 lbs, Bane has a strong frame that should aid his transition to the NBA.
Some people used to question his shooting motion as it was really unorthodox, and still is, but it works really well, as evidenced by a 3-point percentage that rose in each of his last two years, ending at .442 in 2019.
Bane has strong court vision and is never rushed into making a decision.
Defensively he plays a smart game, knowing exactly when to play the ball and push for a turnover or when to play the man. His frame allows him to be a great rebounder for a wing player (career average of 4.7 per game) and he can physically go with many players.
He isn’t an explosive athlete, nor does he have incredible speed or an explosive first step. Even though he’s 6'6, his shorter wingspan can let him down when trying to finish at the rim.
Josh Green – Arizona
Josh Green is a swiss army knife that the Sixers should absolutely have on their list of targets. He’s an extremely versatile player. He can mold into a clinical 3-point shooter, a pass-first point guard, to a playmaking slasher, or whatever the team needs during that particular moment.
Born in Australia, the 6'6, 210 lbs, guard out of Arizona is a phenomenal athlete and defender who led Arizona in steals per game and a guy who would switch to the point guard position when Nico Mannion was out of the game.
Green needs to improve on a 3-point shot, but his upside should allow him to do that without really stagnating at the NBA level.
He needs to work on using his left hand more during dribbles and can often find himself in foul trouble late in games because he’s such an active and enthusiastic defender. I’ve never had a proper NBA draft crush before, but I can say wholeheartedly, I have the biggest draft crush on Josh Green.
Green is a fantastic rebounder and that’s mainly down to his 6'10 wingspan, which is astonishing for a wing player. Green would have an instant impact on any NBA team from the start and after has every trait to develop into a star.
Immanuel Quickley – Kentucky
Immanuel Quickley has, pardon the pun, quickly soared up draft boards over the past 12 months following his stellar growth during his time at Kentucky. He was voted 2019-20 SEC Player of the Year and became a scary offensive weapon for Kentucky in this past season.
Quickley is a combo guard who stands at 6'3 and 190 lbs, but with a 6'9 wingspan, he quickly overcomes his smaller size for a shooting guard.
Immanuel was an exceptional 3 point shooter in his last year with Kentucky ending with a 42% clip and went from almost being a reserve player to being the guy late in games and in clutch moments. He puts up points in bunches thanks to his quick shooting mechanics and release.
Quickley has helped his draft stock even more recently as he was one of the standout stars during the combine's shooting drills. He enters the league on the back of playing in big games for the past 2 years and defensively, he’s proven he can defend both point guards and shooting guards effectively.
The main issue Immanuel has, and it’s why he’s projected as a 2nd round prospect, is his smaller stature. When you watch him play, he doesn’t enjoy receiving contact and his size doesn’t allow him to play physically or drive to the rim and finish effectively. He’s also not the greatest handler of the ball and although he’s an unselfish player, he doesn’t have the best playmaking ability which can lead to turnovers or breakdowns of offense.
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Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire
Isaiah Joe – Arkansas
Isaiah Joe may be one of the best pure shooters in this class and the Sixers have to at least consider him in the 2nd round given their desperate need. Joe made a name for himself in Arkansas as being a guy who could shoot the lights out on any given night, especially in the 2018-19 season when he had a 41% 3-point shot.
His overall mechanics are near perfect, setting him up for lethal step-back shots and side-step jumpers, something other young NBA stars have in their arsenal. His 3 point shot is fast, smooth, and lethal in all situations whether it’s a catch and shoot situation or off the dribble.
Joe works incredibly well of the pick and roll and other screen plays, but he can also get his own separation with impressive agility, especially for his size given he’s 6'5 and 175 lbs.
Isaiah has also shown a high basketball IQ and great court vision. He doesn’t rush into his offense and will take the right amount of time to evaluate all of his options. Watching his tape, he does love to see if his big man in the middle is open, something that will work really well with the Sixers and star center Joel Embiid.
Joe is sound defensively. He has the necessary speed, agility and size to guard any SG he comes up against and he uses his frame well enough to put some physical pressure on his opponents.
The main concern with Isaiah is that he doesn't have that natural playmaker ability like others and isn’t a guy who will try to finish at the rim if he can help it.
Jalen Harris – Nevada
Apparently, there's a new thing in Philadelphia to do and that’s to draft Jalen’s. Luckily for the Sixers, there’s a 2nd round shooting guard prospect that I love and that’s Jalen Harris out of Nevada.
Harris is a pure scorer at all 3 levels. He possesses a smooth, fast shot which allows him to be used in multiple situations whether scoring off of a pass or off his own dribble.
Harris proved during his time in Nevada that he was going to project well at the NBA level, with a strong frame for the position (6'5, 195 lbs), and the fact from day 1 he can be a bench scorer - something the Sixers are crying out for.
Harris also impressed in other areas of the game, boarding really well for a wing player, averaging 6.5 rebounds per game. He also showed he can find his teammates with good success, averaging 3.9 assists a game.
Harris understands the game and his position very well and makes very good decisions offensively. However, he can be a little bit of a lazy defender and will need to work on that if he’s to develop into a starting player with an NBA team.
Harris also isn’t the most explosive vertical athlete and he does struggle a bit when it comes to finishing at the rim. He isn’t scared of attacking the rim and it does help that he has a FT percentage of over 80%, refusing to waste those opportunities.
Photo by Brian Rothmuller/Icon Sportswire
