The 2008 NBA draft is quickly approaching, and the Sixers would love to land a big man. It’s no secret that the Sixers covet a Power Forward, and although there is some potential in getting a potential free agent stud (Elton Brand), they are more likely to fill the spot through the draft this year. Quite frankly, even if they were to pick up a Power Forward through free agency, drafting a front court player would add needed depth at a position where the Sixers are seriously lacking.

There are several players that should be around when the Sixers choose 16th, but they are most likely going to have to trade up to get the player they covet, but are in a unique position of possibly trading down and still getting a player that could step in right away and contribute, at least defensively.

Over the weekend the Sixers brought in Donte Green from Syracuse. The 6-9 221 pounder is listed as a small forward, and generally plays like one, but the Sixers seem enamored with him at this point. He could go as high as 10, but 14th is most likely. Green has a sick set of skills, but like most freshman entering the NBA, he still needs a lot of polishing. He has a propensity to shoot from outside, rather then bang it down in the middle, and consequently shot more 3’s last year then free throws. This is not the guy the Sixers need, although I do like him a lot as a player.

I would rather see the Sixers target someone like Mareese Speights out of Florida. A true Power Forward at 6-10 and 250lbs, he also needs a lot of work on his offense game, especially on the inside… but the Sixers don’t need offense (or should I say, they won’t find it at the draft position they are currently slotted in). Instead they need a tough defensive presence inside, and Speights could immediately provide that. His wing span also makes him available to step in at Center if need be.

Another player the Sixers could target around the 16th pick would be Darrell Arthur, the 6-9 216 lb Power Forward out of Kansas. He is easily the most polished of the PF’s that may still be available when the Sixers pick. He is NBA ready at a young age and has shown a lot of poise in big games. The biggest knock on him was that he was the fourth option on a very deep and talented Jayhawks team, limiting him from increasing his numbers which may be a big benefit to the Sixers. If they are able to grab him at 16, I think he could eventually be considered as a huge steal. His main weakness is his FT shooting (65%), which he should be able to improve on because he can hit for a high percentage within 18ft.

The Sixers of course, could go another way. There are plenty of big men to be had in the draft, especially after the first half of the 1st rd. It’s unlikely that the Sixers would be able to move up in the draft this year (remember what a tough time they had last year trying to move from 12th to 6th in order to draft Yi Jian Lian… thank God Billy King didn’t pull that off), but they could certainly move down (and maybe get a second rounder in the process). Players such as Georgetown’s 7-2 Center Roy Hibbert, Rider State’s 6-10 PF Jason Thompson, or Javale Mcgee, the 7 footer from Neveda St. Samuel Dalembert holds down the center position for the Sixers now, but it wouldn’t hurt to have someone even bigger down there to help him out.

However the draft pans out, and as with any draft… no one really knows what the GM’s are thinking and who they are in love with, The Sixers should get a player that can contribute immediately and help to continue their assent to a legitimate NBA contender. The draft is something that I always felt comfortable with Billy King handling (as long as he stayed out of any contract negotiations, he was a great talent evaluator). He knew talent and his drafts could not be criticized as they brought us players like Thaddeus Young, Andre Iguodala, and Louis Williams, not to mention Kyle Korver and Willie Green among others. With Ed Stefanski at the helm this year, this will be the first move he’s made that will get a lot of attention and scrutiny. Despite not having a lottery pick this year, it is a draft in which the Sixers have the opportunity to add a fixture at a position that has been a void in this town for many years.