Can the Sixers draft an impactful player at 16? History shows it’s a crapshoot.

Daryl Morey acknowledged the 76ers “have all options on the table” at the NBA draft.

They could trade the 16th pick for a veteran, win-now player to complement the star duo of Joel Embiid and Tyrese Maxey. They could move back to acquire more picks that could be used as future trade assets or to select a player later in the draft.

Or …

“If we do pick [at 16], I’m excited about who’s there,” Morey said during his end-of-season news conference.

The Sixers’ selection is in an interesting spot, just outside the lottery and higher than they have picked in recent years after they slipped in the standings while Embiid recovered from knee surgery.

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Useful players still exist in that range. Last year, the Miami Heat’s Jaime Jaquez Jr. and Golden State Warriors’ Brandin Podziemski were picked 18th and 19th, respectively, before becoming all-rookie selections. Maxey was the 21st pick in 2020 before blossoming into a first-time All-Star and the winner of the NBA’s most improved player award this season. Yet, there also are several examples of players drafted in the middle of the first round who have never developed into rotation players, or have fallen completely out of the league.

Should the Sixers choose to keep their first-round pick, a scan of the last five years illustrates that finding an impact player at No. 16 requires some combination of sound scouting and luck.

George already looks to be a key component of the Jazz’s rebuild. The combo guard, who was lauded for his off-the-dribble scoring entering his draft, earned second-team all-rookie honors after averaging 13 points and 4.4 assists and making 44 starts.

15th pick: Kobe Bufkin (Atlanta Hawks)

17th pick: Jalen Hood-Schifino (Los Angeles Lakers)

Sixers’ first-round pick: None (traded in Ben Simmons/James Harden blockbuster)

After playing in 72 games with 12 starts as a rookie, Griffin made just 20 appearances this season because of injuries and time away from the team for personal reasons. The forward, who boasted a 7-foot wingspan and NBA-ready frame coming into the 2022 draft, averaged 2.4 points on 29% shooting and did not make the defensive impact that his physical measurables would suggest. Injuries also derailed an opportunity to develop in the G League.

15th pick: Mark Williams (Charlotte Hornets)

17th pick: Tari Eason (Houston Rockets)

Sixers’ first-round pick: Traded to Memphis Grizzlies for De’Anthony Melton (23rd)

» READ MORE: Why have the Celtics soared while the Sixers keep processing? One team has been shrewd.

*Traded by Oklahoma City Thunder

A borderline All-Star before an ankle injury prematurely ended his 2023-24 season, Şengün is an anchor of the Rockets’ rebuild. He averaged 21.1 points on 53.7% shooting, 9.3 rebounds, and 5.0 assists, a well-rounded center skill set that has drawn comparisons to the early career of three-time MVP Nikola Jokić. Şengün finished third in voting for this season’s most improved player award, behind Maxey and the Chicago Bulls’ Coby White.

15th pick: Corey Kispert (Washington Wizards)

17th pick: Trey Murphy III (traded on draft night from Grizzlies to New Orleans Pelicans)

Sixers’ first-round pick: Jaden Springer (28th)

*Traded by Portland Trail Blazers, then Rockets

Stewart battled a variety of injuries this season but started 45 of his 46 games played and averaged 10.9 points on 48.7% shooting and 6.6 rebounds. He recorded those numbers while continuing to play out of position at power forward to account for the Pistons’ glut of centers on the roster. After being selected in the strange 2020 pandemic draft, he remains a high-motor player and solid defender.

15th pick: Cole Anthony (Orlando Magic)

17th pick: Aleksej Pokusševski (traded to Oklahoma City Thunder from Minnesota Timberwolves)

Sixers’ first-round pick: Tyrese Maxey (21st)

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Though the Magic were one of the NBA’s feel-good stories this season, Okeke has been passed by other young players on the depth chart. The forward played in 47 games with eight starts, with 2.3 points and 9.2 minutes per game.

15th pick: Sekou Doumbouya (Pistons)

17th pick: Nickeil Alexander-Walker (traded to Pelicans from Hawks, Brooklyn Nets)

Sixers’ first-round pick: Matisse Thybulle (20th, traded by Boston Celtics)