2016 NBA Draft Prep: Some Options for Sixers at Picks No. 24 and 26

The process finally worked. The Sixers have the first overall pick (see top 10 prospects).

Yet that will not be the last pick the Sixers make in the first round of the 2016 NBA draft. The Sixers own the Heat's No. 24 pick and the Thunder's No. 26, assets that could prove quite valuable this offseason.

Those assets may end up being sent elsewhere in trades, but assuming the Sixers keep one or both picks, here are several prospects the team may target come draft day.

Brice Johnson, forward, North Carolina, (6-9/230)
If there is one thing the Sixers have right now, it's forwards. Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel, Jerami Grant just to name a few. So one would think the last thing the Sixers would target is another forward without the ability to play beyond the three-point line. Don't worry: There are plenty of guards on this list.

However, Johnson has the raw skills that any team picking in the late first round should want. In his short trip to Philadelphia for the East regional of the NCAA Tournament, Johnson thoroughly dominated all facets of games against Indiana and Notre Dame, so local fans should have some familiarity with him. 

His innate rebounding ability should translate to the NBA despite being slightly undersized for the modern power forward. Johnson simply dominates the boards and can finish with authority at the rim. He also can go out to 20 feet and hit jumpers, but he never attempted a three-pointer in college and won't be a stretch four. 

One concern with Johnson is issues he had with maturity early in his career. While both UNC coach Roy Williams and Johnson himself have talked about overcoming those problems, it may be held against him by NBA teams. 

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Denzel Valentine, guard, Michigan State, (6-6/210)
Undersized forward coming out of Michigan State? There are going to be a lot of Draymond Green comparisons as people try to figure out what exactly Valentine is at the next level. He is similarly efficient on many levels offensively and can be an extremely useful weapon hitting threes or finding open teammates.

His defense is what holds him back from being a top prospect in this draft. The height and wingspan of a two or three, he struggles with his quickness to guard players who profile to that position in the pros. 

You simply can't ignore his offensive numbers, though. He averaged 19.2 points, 7.5 rebounds and 7.8 assists his senior season and made MSU a formidable threat going into the NCAA Tournament. Despite the numbers, his draft stock is tough to pin down and he could fall to the Sixers late in the first round.

DeAndre' Bembry, forward, Saint Joseph's, (6-6/207)
The Sixers may be able to find some backcourt help from their own backyard. Bembry, easily the man with the best hair in the NBA draft, had a fantastic senior season at St. Joe's and was the Atlantic 10's Player of the Year.

Bembry brings an offensive skill set similar to Valentine, both able to knock down shots and create for others. He was able to handle the point-forward role for the Hawks and bolster an offense that nearly made a run to the Sweet 16. 

He may struggle defensively at the next level, particularly at first. He also needs to become more efficient at the next level, both from a shooting perspective and in terms of his usage (see story). Especially if he is coming off the bench, he will need to improve his ISO game to match his adeptness in the pick-and-roll or dribble handoff.

Juan Hernangomez, forward, Spain, (6-9/220)
The Sixers have an issue in their near future with an overload of contracts on the roster. They can only have 15 players on the team at once but with few free agents, three first-round picks and the possible stateside debut of Dario Saric, a roster crunch is on the horizon.

One way to solve this is picking a player who they can stash overseas for a couple years while the current roster develops. Hernangomez's brother, Willy, was picked by the Sixers in the 2015 NBA draft and traded to the New York Knicks, so the team is presumably familiar with Juan.

But stashing isn't the only reason to target the younger Hernangomez. Athletic for his 6-9 frame, Hernangomez is quite versatile offensively and has impressed for CB Estudiantes in Spain. He has improved his three-point shot and his over 7-foot wingspan will make him a sought after power forward in the modern NBA.

Caris LeVert, guard, Michigan, (6-7/191)
After four years at Michigan, there are still questions as to what LeVert will actually be in the NBA. He has all the physical tools to be a long-term player in any rotation with his long body and offensive versatility.

But things haven't quite always worked out as they should with him. He's coming off a second straight season shortened by injury and his left foot/leg is a concern. He also has struggled with longer defenders and with drives to the basket, something he'll need to do at the next level.

He does have the ability to challenge point guards quite well, although how he guards quicker/taller players remains to be seen. He can hit mid-range and three-point shots with ease on spot-ups, but he will need to improve his pull-up game in the pros.

Malachi Richardson, guard, Syracuse, (6-6/200)
Richardson is another interesting guard for the Sixers. Richardson may have only completed one year of college, but he's older than an average freshman at 20 years old. He was a catalyst for Syracuse's run to the Final Four by scoring in abundance.

But his strengths on the offensive end come with a caveat: He simply isn't efficient. Richardson has the upside potential that everyone looks for in a prospect, yet his season with the Orange looked ugly at times. An 0-for-11 effort from three against St. John's. A 9-of-33 performance in the first three rounds of the Tournament. He simply can't be that chaotic a force offensively at the next level.

Malcolm Brogdon, guard, Virginia, (6-6/223)
Brogdon may be one of the safer picks later in the draft. While he doesn't provide the offensive explosion of other prospects, he can lock down perimeter defenders with his 6-11 wingspan. He was the centerpiece of one of the NCAA's top defenses in 2015-16.

Offensively, he can be an efficient scorer like he was at the NBA Draft Combine last week, where he scored 17 points on just eight shots. He also put up six assists, four rebounds and four steals in that effort, showing off all facets of his game. At the very least, Brogdon could help shore up the Sixers' problems defending opposing guards.

Wade Baldwin IV, guard, Vanderbilt, (6-4/202)
Baldwin provides another option for the Sixers if they're looking to fill one of their holes in the backcourt. The 20-year-old N.J. native impressed from beyond the arc in the SEC and brings a 6-10 wingspan that could make him a strong defender in the NBA against both point and shooting guards.

He has had issues creating his own shot off the dribble, either on pull ups or moves into the paint. Those are the kind of issues you'd expect in a late first-round pick, something that will need to get smoothed out if Baldwin can become more than a rotation point guard. 

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