Cooney: Sixers Draft…a “Process” Before Signing Free Agents
As compared to draft nights for the Sixers of recent years, Thursday’s certainly didn’t meet the high expectations “The Process” provided.
A pick at the top end of the first round wasn’t there for the taking, as consecutive 50-plus win seasons helped ensure.
Still, most were hoping general manager Elton Brand, “Chief Beef” as known to the morning show, would make some sort of splash with his last first round pick at No. 24 and a couple of early picks in the second round.
Though Brand, overseeing his first draft, moved up to 20 to nab Washington swing-man Matisse Thybulle, the glamour of the selection wasn’t palpable. Thybulle is a defense-first player, with great anticipatory skills, a long reach and a great nose for the ball. In short, he’s a defensive specialist.
Exciting? Meh. Needed? In Brand’s mind, yes. And that should be a comfort of sorts to Sixers fans. To me it means “Chief Beef” is confident he is either bringing back or bringing in free agents who will be able to provide offensive help for Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Jimmy Butler, I’ll say, has an 80 percent chance of returning. I’ll put Tobias Harris at 50-50.But if one or both don’t return, the choice of Thybulle ensures me that Brand is super confident of landing another big name free agent – or two.
Bob Cooney is co-host of the “Farzetta & Tra” morning show on 97.5 The Fanatic