NBA mock drafts can get redundant and old fast.
So The Ringer took a different stab at the NBA draft in June and looked at some NBA draft dream scenarios.
The Sixers, who will have their own pick and have a chance of getting the Lakers' pick (top 3 protected), were mentioned twice in the story.
One of the scenarios Jonathan Tjarks, a staff writer at The Ringer, wrote is Malik Monk going to the Sixers.
"At 6-foot-3 and 200 pounds, Monk is a shooting guard trapped in a point guard’s body," Tjarks wrote. "He's one of the best scorers in the country and an elite athlete who can create his own shot off the dribble whenever he wants, and he has already made a name for himself in his one season at Kentucky for fire-bombing teams from behind the 3-point line."
Tjarks is right. Monk is a great off-guard that would fit head coach Brett Brown's pace and space system. He would also fill a need in the Sixers' backcourt.
If selected, Monk would be free to roam in the half court for his shot with Ben Simmons running the offense. Monk shoots a deadly 41.6 percent from three. According to Hoop-Math.com, 84.8 percent of his three's were assisted this season.
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Monk also wouldn't have to be the main guy on the Sixers with Simmons and Joel Embiid on the team. But that's a good thing because he's proven he can be that guy at Kentucky. He hit the game-winning shot to beat North Carolina and scored a season-high 47 points on 18 of 28 shooting.
One the criticisms Monk gets is that he might take too many shots and that he struggles on the defensive end. While there is some truth to his defense, he's proven that he can go off at any time.
After shooting 1 of 5 from the field with just three points going into halftime against Florida, Monk erupted in the second half. The Kentucky guard finished with 33 points, including hitting eight of his first 10 shots in the second half.
The Sixers currently hold the NBA's fifth-worst record at 23-39. If they stay at the spot entering the NBA draft lottery, they will most likely pick between fifth and eighth overall -- right in the range where Monk is being picked in mock drafts.
While the first scenario is one that has been discussed since the start of the college basketball season, The Ringer made things interesting with its second dream scenario.
The Ringer made up a fake report from Adrian Wojnarowski of The Vertical, saying the Sixers acquired Jimmy Butler from the Bulls in exchange for Dario Saric, the first overall pick and the fourth overall pick on the day of the 2017 NBA draft.
The Sixers reportedly inquired about Butler at the trade deadline, but they shouldn't do this deal.
One of the key components of former president and general manager Sam Hinkie's "Process" was to stack assets on top of assets with the possibility of making a mega deal like this, but this deal gives up too many pieces.
I doubt the Sixers would move on from Saric this fast. One of the reasons they dealt Ersan Ilyasova was that they felt comfortable with Saric starting at the four, and he's exceeded expectations. He's is averaging 18.2 points, 9.8 rebounds and 4.4 assists since the Ilyasova trade and may be the frontrunner for Rookie of the Year.
As far the draft picks, the Sixers would be foolish to not select Markelle Fultz with the No. 1 overall pick if they were fortunate enough to have the ping-pong balls in their favor. Fultz is the consensus No. 1 overall pick and the prototypical guard a team salivates for in today's NBA. He's got the size at 6-foot-4, and the ability to score at will from anywhere on the court. He's averaging 23.2 points per game this season on 41.3 percent shooting from three.
At fourth overall, the Sixers would be able to nab a wing player like Josh Jackson or Jayson Tatum. Either guy could be a beneficial piece to the Sixers long term. They could even add Jonathan Issac, a lengthy forward out of Florida State. Issac is raw in some aspects of his game and needs to add muscle to his frame, but he can shoot and provide spacing to the floor on offense.
It's an interesting proposal by Kevin O'Connor of The Ringer, but it does the Bulls more justice than the Sixers. Sure, the Sixers would get a proven NBA All-Star in Butler, but why give up three legitimate pieces in exchange for one that could walk in 2019?
This draft is loaded with backcourt talent in the lottery, and it would be a mistake for the Sixers to miss out on a position they desperately need to fill.
Bryan Colangelo is already disliked enough in this town, and a move like this could drive the fan base off the edge more than they already are.