If everything goes according to plan — a caveat worth making this year — the 2020 NBA draft will be held on Nov. 18, according to ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski.
So, the Sixers should have about two months to further evaluate prospects and run through their pre-draft process. Wojnarowski reported last week that the mid-November draft date “allows for … a combine.” We’ll see exactly what form that takes and how COVID-19 affects the Sixers’ approach.
The team’s front office structure and head coach remain big questions, ones the Sixers would ideally have sorted out well before the draft. General manager Elton Brand said on Aug. 25 that the Sixers needed to make changes and that he’d be assessing the front-office setup, which still includes executive VP of basketball operations Alex Rucker and assistant general manager Ned Rucker, both of whom were hired by Bryan Colangelo. Marc Eversley, another member of Colangelo's regime, was hired in April as the Bulls' new GM. He'd been a key part of the Sixers' pre-draft process in recent years.
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Brand said he’d be leading the Sixers’ coaching search and making his recommendation to managing partner Josh Harris and co-managing partner David Blitzer. Mike D’Antoni, Billy Donovan and Tyronn are reported candidates to replace Brett Brown, who the Sixers fired on Aug. 24 after being swept by the Celtics in the first round of the playoffs.
The Sixers own five draft picks, the most in the league. They have No. 21, a selection acquired in the Markelle Fultz trade, in addition to picks 34, 36, 49 and 58. It would make sense for the team to seek three-point shooting and playmaking.
Matisse Thybulle, who the Sixers traded up to acquire in last year’s draft, narrowly missed making an All-Rookie Team. He finished 12th in voting, which was revealed on Tuesday.