Philadelphia 76ers Find Los Angeles Lakers 2017 First Round Pick Growing In Value
The Los Angeles Lakers owe their first round pick (top-3 protected) to the Philadelphia 76ers. Ranked 23rd this season, that pick will likely convey. Meanwhile, its value continues to inflate.
The Philadelphia 76ers have waited patiently to cash in on the rights to the Los Angeles Lakers first round pick. This is not just any pick. As a matter of fact, it was a pick garnered from a rather intricate three team trade involving the Phoenix Suns, the Milwaukee Bucks, and the Philadelphia 76ers. It was a deal which would place Philadelphia 76ers president Sam Hinkie in the gray area between genius and off-his-rocker. To acquire the rare lottery pick, the Philadelphia 76ers surrendered rookie point guard Michael Carter Williams, who landed with the Bucks. In return, the 76ers received the first round pick of the Los Angeles Lakers from the Phoenix Suns.
The trade happened on February 20, 2015.
The pick did not convey in 2015 (top five protected, landed two), nor did it convey in 2016 (top three protected, landed two). In the 2017 NBA Draft, the Los Angeles Lakers first round pick remains a top-three protected pick, but is unlikely to trigger protection.
Oh The Stories You Could tell
This pick has developed it’s own history over time. The pick began as compensation for the trade of Steve Nash to the Los Angeles Lakers from the Phoenix Suns. The cursed pick cursed seemed to cause disaster to the Los Angeles Lakers. It comprised the last of a four draft pick package which brought Nash to the Lakers. Nash never delivered, but the picks have.
it was the beginning of the end for the Los Angeles Lakers
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
The Myth Of The Lakers Pick
The mysticism of the Lakers pick began in the context of the four pick package. Isn’t it ironic that Steve Nash, and the Phoenix Suns, the hotspot of Colangelo fame, was the source of the legend? So what did Phoenix get?
2013 first-round pick (No. 30 overall)
The Suns used this pick to select Nemanja Nedovic from Serbia. His rights were then traded to the Golden State Warriors for Archie Goodwin and Malcolm Lee, with Lee then being used as part of a package to acquire the No. 18 pick in the 2014 draft which was used to pick Tyler Ennis.
2013 second-round pick (No. 57 overall)
Phoenix picked Alex Oriakhi who was later traded for Isaiah Thomas. The Suns then traded Thomas to the Celtics as part of a 3-team deal in which the Suns picked up a future first-round pick from the Cavaliers (2016 if not in the top 10).
2014 second-round pick (No. 36 overall)
This pick was used in a complicated 3-team trade that landed the Suns a potential first-round pick from the Minnesota Timberwolves. That pick was later used by Phoenix to acquire Brandan Wright from the Celtics.
2015 first-round pick
The Suns used this pick, along with Ennis and another player (Miles Plumlee), in a 3-team trade with Phoenix landing a starting shooting guard in Brandon Knight and Kendall Marshall. This pick was top-5 protected in 2015, top-3 protected in 2016 and 2017, and unprotected in 2018.
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Skal Labissiere (Kentucky) walks off stage after being selected as the number twenty-eight overall pick to the Phoenix Suns in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Desperate Team And Picks Soon Part Ways
There is a trick when landing a protected lottery pick. The trick is to have enough patience required to cash it in. Many teams accept the pick willingly, but are quick to lose patience .
“With a pick like that our analysis was that we probably weren’t going to receive the pick this year. That pushes the pick into next year, the protection drops to three, but I think analyzing the Lakers situation there’s pretty high variance there as to what the pick could be. If you ask me how the Lakers are going to be a year from now I have no idea. Obviously, they’ve struggled some recently, but they’re going to have a lot of salary cap space this summer and they’re in a market that’s traditionally been one of the top draws for free agents.
“We know the risks. The pick next year could be the fourth pick in the draft, it could be the 14th pick in the draft, it could be the 30th pick in the draft. We felt it was the right time to cash it in.”
He’s Testing us
For several years, Philadelphia 76ers fans have had patience tested and taunted by this Lakers’ pick. Michael Carter-Williams played point guard as a rookie for the Philadelphia 76ers and was the rookie of the year. He found himself traded the following year. The point guard position remains a difficult position to fill since that trade. But MCW was a semi-precious stone. That Lakers pick became a diamond in the hands of Philadelphia 76ers president Sam Hinkie
Dec 7, 2015; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Philadelphia 76ers general manager Sam Hinkie speaks to the media during a press conference to introduce Jerry Colangelo (not pictured) as special advisor before a game against the San Antonio Spurs at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports
A Diamond In the Eyes Of A Jeweler
Sam Hinkie had a differing perspective. He was the right person at the helm at the right time. Many would shirk at the chance. Sam Hinkie traded a known player for an unknown opportunity to draft an unknown prospect someday into the future.
Hinkie relished the chance.
“Those picks do not move around very much,” Hinkie said in explaining why he gave away Michael Carter-Williams in the trade. “It is almost impossibly hard to get your hands on a pick that at least has a chance to be a high lottery pick. It’s very rare that they move.”
And so it happened that the pick landed in the lap of the one person who could truly comprehend what he had.
The NBA Draft has a jackpot player concealed in it’s midst each season. While most pundits and scouts arrive at a consensus player, history proves that the top NBA selection is not always the most productive NBA selection. Hinkie not only understood that, he embraced it.
May 17, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Philadelphia 76ers head coach Brett Brown (right) poses with NBA deputy commissioner Mark Tatum after the 76ers receive the first pick in the 2016 NBA draft during the NBA draft lottery at New York Hilton Midtown. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports
Turning The Tables
The Los Angeles Lakers are currently ranked 23rd in the NBA. As such, they have a prescribed chance to land in the top three. As such, the Philadelphia 76ers are 72.4% likely to receive the 8th pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, courtesy of the Los Angeles Lakers.
If the 76ers are to hope for the fourth (and optimal) pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, the Lakers must fall to 27th spot in the NBA. Today, that spot is held by the Dallas Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns.Here is the table. Simply sort the column of chances (click on the pull down twice) to see the distribution of the Lottery teams.
Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot walks off the stage after being selected as the number twenty-four overall pick to the Philadelphia 76ers in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports
Now Go Check Out The Prospects
It could be an historic moment for the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2017 NBA Draft. While unlikely, the team could find themselves with two top ten NBA Draft picks the year after selecting the top overall pick.
That’s quite a set up.
In fact, the team has four chances to select in the 2017 NBA Draft. If you factor in Furkan Korkmaz and Vasilije Micic (both playing overseas), that is another wave of six new prospects trying to board the Philadelphia 76ers jet to the NBA Championship.
We have a number of articles now to help you shop for new prospects in the upcoming NBA Draft. The latest Sixer Sense Draft board can be found here.
It’s the Christmas season. As such, it’s a time to receive presents, shop, and be thankful.
The Los Angeles Lakers first round pick will be incredibly valuable on draft day. On behalf of all of us at The Sixer Sense, Happy Holidays!
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