Skip to content
Link copied to clipboard
Link copied to clipboard

NBA consultant Ryan Blake looks at players who could interest the Sixers in the draft

Among the veteran players Blake mentioned were North Carolina senior Cameron Johnson and Tennessee junior Grant Williams.

Purdue's Carsen Edwards averaged 24.3 points, 2.9 assists, 1.3 steals, and shot 35.5 percent from three-point range last season.
Purdue's Carsen Edwards averaged 24.3 points, 2.9 assists, 1.3 steals, and shot 35.5 percent from three-point range last season.Read moreTimothy D. Easley / AP

The 76ers have the 24th pick in the first round of this year’s NBA draft, plus 33, 34, 42, and 54 in the second round. Barring a trade, they won’t be able to select any so-called blue-chippers, but NBA consultant Ryan Blake is optimistic that the Sixers can find a contributing player.

Blake, whose evaluations are available for all NBA teams, considers this a deep draft.

“At 24, there will be many good players, and there will also be good players in the second round,” Blake said last week in a phone interview.

He talked about some needs Sixers general manager Elton Brand and the personnel department might be looking to address.

“They may look for improved three-point shooting and a more-powerful presence, a rim protector, a shot-blocking versatile player,” Blake said.

He does not delve into mock drafts, but Blake named a few players who might be around at pick 24 or early in the second round and might be able to help the Sixers. He emphasized that there could be several others who might interest the Sixers.

Grant Williams, 6-7 1/2 240 pounds, junior, PF, Tennessee. Williams was the two-time SEC player of the year and averaged 18.8 points and 7.5 rebounds last season. “Somebody like Grant Williams, who I really like, didn’t test well, but he is somebody who I feel is NBA ready right now.”

Luka Samanic, 6-11, 227, SF-PF, Croatia. The 19-year-old Samanic, who has a varied offensive game, played for Petrol Olimpija of the Slovenian League. “I am really impressed with him, and he tested unbelievably well. He is athletic, not afraid of contact, and if he plays power forward, I think he can guard smaller players, but the concern is how he is going to muscle up to bigger players.”

Cameron Johnson, 6-8½. 205, senior, G-SF, North Carolina. Johnson is one of those players Blake referred to as NBA-ready. He averaged 16.9 points and shot 45.7 percent from three-point range last season. “He is old [23], but he can stroke it and is an improved defender. He can create off the dribble and draw fouls.”

Dylan Windler, 6-7 1/2, 195, senior, SG-SF, Belmont. The swingman averaged 21.3 points and shot 42.9 percent from three-point range for a Belmont team that beat Temple in an NCAA play-in game before losing 69-67 to Maryland despite Windler’s 35 points. He is considered among the better long-range shooters in the draft. “Dylan Windler has the shooting skill. He is a runner, too.”

Carsen Edwards, 6-0, 199, junior, PG, Purdue. Edwards averaged 24.3 points, 2.9 assists, 1.3 steals, and shot 35.5 percent from three-point range last season. He scored 42 points in an 87-61 NCAA Tournament win over Villanova. “An undersized guard who get things done in a heady way. He is a go-to shooter, and I think he has better passing skills than what he has shown. I saw a lot of him and was impressed with how intently he worked on both ends of the court. He is a low-first [round], high-second-round guy.”

Matisse Thybulle, 6-6, 200, senior, SG-SF, Washington. Thybulle averaged just 9.1 points last season but is known for his defense after averaging 2.3 blocked shots. “Matisse Thybulle is an unbelievably long athlete who can make a difference on both ends of the court. He was not a big-time scorer, but I think he can shoot the ball, and he is an unbelievable defender.”