7 Targets For The Sixers To Consider At No. 23

Thanks to the Brooklyn Nets, the Philadelphia 76ers will have the No. 23 pick in the 2022 NBA draft on Thursday.

The Sixers included their unprotected 2022 first-round pick in the package that landed them James Harden ahead of the February trade deadline. However, the Nets had the option to defer it and take their unprotected 2023 first-rounder instead.

They chose to do exactly that in the hope that the Sixers finish with a worse record and a higher pick next season.

There’s no guarantee that the Sixers will actually make this pick. They’re reportedly exploring trades for it and Danny Green’s $10 million contract next season, according to Kevin O’Connor of The Ringer, as that might be their most viable path to finding a starting-caliber wing this offseason.

If the Sixers do stand pat at No. 23, who should they target? The following seven prospects all could fill a major hole for them as soon as next season.

Tari Eason, PF, LSU

For a team that bemoaned its lack of toughness after losing to the Miami Heat in the playoffs, Tari Eason could solve a number of problems.

Eason measured 6’8″ in shoes with a 7’2″ wingspan at the NBA combine, and he also led all combine participants with 11-inch hands. Sam Vecenie of The Athletic noted that figure was “essentially a Kawhi Leonard-like mark, as the former San Diego State forward had 11¼-inch hands when he was at the combine back in 2011.”

Eason went from averaging 7.3 points on 46.2 percent shooting at Cincinnati in 2020-21 to 16.9 points on 52.1 percent shooting at LSU this past season. He averaged 2.3 offensive rebounds, 1.9 steals and 1.1 blocks in only 24.4 minutes per game at LSU, which helped him rank second in the SEC and fifth in the NCAA in defensive box plus/minus.

The 21-year-old shot 35.9 percent from three-point range this past season (on only 2.4 attempts per game), but his shooting mechanics aren’t picture-perfect. He also racked up 5.3 fouls per 40 minutes as a freshman at Cincinnati and 4.8 fouls per 40 minutes this past season, as his aggressiveness on defense worked against him at times.

The Sixers already have a foul-prone young big in Paul Reed, but Eason’s ability to defend multiple positions could make him an asset in Philadelphia. If he’s still on the board at No. 23, it’s hard to imagine the Sixers passing him up.

Jalen Williams, SF, Santa Clara

With Danny Green’s future up in the air after he tore his ACL and LCL in the playoffs, the Sixers desperately need to add more wing depth this offseason. Santa Clara wing Jalen Williams may be their best chance to do so in the draft.

Williams measured in at nearly 6’6″ with a 7’2¼” wingspan at the NBA combine, and he dazzled during scrimmages on both days, too. That caused Vecenie and John Hollinger of The Athletic to label him as the “big winner of the combine.”

“Among actual NBA Draft Combine participants—limited as they were—the name that stood out most often was Santa Clara wing Jalen Williams,” they wrote. “It’s tough to find a part of the proceedings that he didn’t ace.”

Williams ranked second in the WCC this season with 18.0 points per game on 51.3 percent shooting, and he knocked down 39.6 percent of his 3.2 three-point attempts per game, too. He also led Santa Clara with 4.2 assists per game, which could bode well for his ability to serve as a secondary ball-handler and off-the-dribble scorer in the NBA.

“He has a good feel for the game,” a scout told Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer. “His strengths are scoring, passing, and his length, both on offense and defense.”

Sixers head coach Doc Rivers likely wouldn’t feel comfortable turning to a rookie as his starting 3 alongside Tyrese Maxey, James Harden, Tobias Harris and Joel Embiid next season. But if the Sixers take Williams, he could blossom into their long-term answer at that spot in time.

E.J. Liddell, PF, Ohio State

The Sixers need to add more switchable forwards to stand a chance against the Boston Celtics, Miami Heat, Milwaukee Bucks and Toronto Raptors in the East. If Eason and Williams are off the board at No. 23, they might give E.J. Liddell a long look there instead.

Liddell didn’t have the height/wingspan combo of Williams, but he measured in at 6’7″ and 243 pounds with a 6’11¾” wingspan at the combine. His also posted a combine-best 35.5-inch standing leap, which was two inches higher than the next-closest players (Williams and Kansas wing Christian Braun).

Liddell tested the draft waters last year, but he ultimately returned to Ohio State after a subpar showing at the G League Elite Camp. According to ESPN’s Jonathan Givony, scouts wanted to see him “increase his shooting range and defensive versatility.”

The 21-year-old accomplished both of those missions during his junior season. He knocked down a career-high 37.4 percent of his 3.8 three-point attempts per game and demonstrated the ability to switch defensively to guard an array of different positions.

Although the Sixers likely wouldn’t run many plays through him at first, Liddell did average 1.04 points per post-up possession this past season, per Synergy Sports, which ranked in the 87th percentile nationwide. He also averaged 1.06 points per jump shot in the half court, which ranked in the 80th percentile.

The Sixers’ lack of playoff-caliber forwards beyond Tobias Harris was on full display against both Toronto and Miami this past season. Adding a gritty, switchable defender like Liddell could help them better hold their own against the likes of Jayson Tatum, Jimmy Butler or Scottie Barnes down the road.

Dalen Terry, SG/SF, Arizona

Dalen Terry didn’t light up the scoreboard during his two seasons at Arizona. After averaging only 4.6 points on 41.5 percent shooting in 20.7 minutes per game as a freshman, he put up 8.0 points on 50.2 percent shooting in 27.8 minutes per game this past year.

He’s a case where the potential might outweigh the production, though.

Terry measured in at 6’7¼” with an impressive 7’0¾” wingspan at the NBA combine, and his 8’10” standing reach was nearly the highest among prospects his size. Those physical tools should allow him to defend multiple positions in the NBA.

Terry’s willingness to take a back seat offensively could make him appealing to the Sixers, too. With Maxey, Harden, Harris and Embiid already in the fold, they don’t need to add another high-volume scorer to their starting lineup. They need a wing who can knock down threes consistently to balance out their floor spacing and embrace the toughest perimeter assignments on defense.

Terry attempted only 2.1 three-pointers per game this past season, but he knocked them down at a 36.4 percent clip. He averaged 1.07 points per jump shot, according to Synergy Sports, which ranked in the 80th percentile nationwide.

“Although he lacks the most picturesque mechanics, Terry has already proved in workout settings that concerns about his shooting may indeed be overblown,” Givony and ESPN’s Mike Schmitz wrote after the combine.

Terry may be less ready to make an immediate NBA impact than Eason, Williams and/or Liddell, but his long-term upside should appeal to the Sixers at No. 23.

Jaden Hardy, G, G League Ignite

Jaden Hardy appears to be gaining some steam as a possible Sixers target. Both Givony and Bleacher Report’s Jonathan Wasserman had him going to Philly in their latest mock drafts.

“Hardy still has plenty of upside to tap into as a shot-making, instinctual scorer who is only 19,” Givony wrote. “Adding more shooting alongside Joel Embiid should be an attractive proposition for the Sixers, and Hardy has the type of scoring talent that could allow him to anchor a bench unit down the road if he continues to progress with his frame and decision-making.”

Hardy got off to a rough start with the G League Ignite, averaging 17.8 points on only 33.1 percent shooting across his first eight Showcase games. He grew more comfortable as the year went on, though, and he averaged 22.5 points on 42.0 percent shooting over his final eight games after an ugly 0-of-11 showing against the Long Island Nets in late January.

The soon-to-be 20-year-old projects as a high-volume, low-efficiency scorer in the short term, but his ability to knock down difficult shots off the dribble gives him tantalizing upside. Although he’s only 6’4″ and 190 pounds, his 6’9″ wingspan could help him compete against larger NBA athletes on defense once he grows more into his frame.

It’s difficult to imagine Rivers leaning heavily on Hardy as a rookie. He’d likely have to spend most of his time with the Delaware 87ers in the G League, where he’d have a bigger role to work on his game. But if the Sixers are looking to take a home run swing at No. 23, Hardy—the No. 4-ranked recruit in the class of 2021, per 247Sports—is a high-risk, high-reward pick with boom potential.

MarJon Beauchamp, SF/PF, G League Ignite

Hardy isn’t the only G League Ignite prospect who might interest the Sixers at No. 23. MarJon Beauchamp could likewise draw some looks from them, especially if some of the other top wings are already off the board when they’re on the clock.

Beauchamp measured in at 6’6½” with a 7’0¾” wingspan at the NBA combine, which should allow him to switch between guarding multiple positions on defense. He could bolster the Sixers’ point-of-attack defense and give them another option to throw at some of the elite wings whom they’ll inevitably face in the playoffs.

Three-point shooting will be Beauchamp’s swing skill, as he shot only 18-of-66 (27.3 percent) across his 24 G League appearances this past season. He averaged a middling 0.90 points per jump shot in the half court, which ranked in the 41st percentile, per Synergy Sports, but his 1.32 points per shot around the rim was in the 85th percentile.

When Denver Nuggets reporters asked Beauchamp on Monday what type of role he envisioned for himself in the NBA, he replied, “A role like a Herbert Jones. … He shot 40 percent from three and defended the best players.” That response should endear him to front offices looking for a potential three-and-D role player in the mid-to-late first round.

If the Sixers have confidence in Beauchamp’s ability to improve as a shooter, his physical tools and upside could make him worth considering at No. 23.

Kendall Brown, SF, Baylor

Kendall Brown is one of the youngest prospects in this year’s draft class, having just turned 19 in mid-May. The former 5-star recruit didn’t light it up during his lone season at Baylor—he averaged only 9.7 points in 27.0 minutes per game, albeit while shooting 58.4 percent from the field—but his physical tools should make him appealing nevertheless.

Brown measured in at 6’7½” with a 6’11” wingspan at the NBA combine, and his 41.0-inch max vertical leap was second only to Tennessee point guard Kennedy Chandler (41.5 inches). He also ran a speedy 3.05-second shuttle run, although his three-quarter sprint (3.29 seconds) and lane agility times (11.57 seconds) were far less impressive.

Brown’s jumper remains a work in progress. He shot only 34.1 percent from three-point range on low volume (1.2 attempts per game), and he averaged a meager 0.79 points per jump shot (28th percentile nationwide), per Synergy Sports. However, he scored 1.49 points per shot around the rim (96th percentile), according to Synergy, which is a testament to his explosive athleticism.

“Brown may not provide enough offensively to be a starting-caliber player, but his odds of having a legit career seem pretty high because he’s 6’8″, can pass and run and guard multiple positions,” Hollinger wrote. “Guys like that fit in somewhere unless they’re complete disasters from the perimeter.”

Two years ago, the Sixers gambled on Maxey at No. 21 despite his unimpressive shooting numbers (29.2 percent from three-point range) during his lone season at Kentucky. That has paid off handsomely thus far, as he went from shooting 30.1 percent from deep on 1.7 attempts per game as a rookie to 42.7 percent on 4.1 per game last season.

Without knowing how Brown’s jumper has developed over the past few months, it’s unclear whether they’d be willing to take another questionable shooter. Matisse Thybulle became virtually unplayable in the playoffs because he was such a non-factor offensively. But if they have confidence in Brown’s jumper coming around, he could be a steal at No. 23.

Unless otherwise noted, all stats via NBA.com, PBPStats, Cleaning the Glass or Basketball Reference. All salary information via Spotrac or RealGM. All odds via FanDuel Sportsbook.