Should Sixers' Jonah Bolden Have Been a Lottery Pick?

If you were impressed with the play of Jonah Bolden during summer league, you're not the only one.

The 21-year-old Australian forward also caught the eye of the Ringer's Jonathan Tjarks. The site did a "A Way-Too-Early 2017 NBA Redraft" based on the NBA summer league. A little silly, but both Tjarks and fellow writer Kevin O'Connor acknowledged the silliness of it all. (And don't worry, they still had the Sixers snagging Markelle Fultz No. 1 overall.)

Tjarks chose Bolden, a second-round pick by the Sixers (36th overall), at No. 13 overall.

"Bigs who can switch screens, shoot threes, block shots, and make plays with the ball should not have fallen to the second round," Tjarks, who thought highly of Bolden before the draft, writes. "Bolden gave Celtics 7-footer Ante Zizic trouble out in Vegas, and if Bolden can play the 5, he opens up a lot of interesting lineup possibilities."

Bolden averaged 8.7 points, 6.2 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.3 blocks in eight games (three starts) in the Utah and Las Vegas summer leagues combined. He shot 31 percent from three (11 of 35) which isn't eye-popping but for a 6-foot-10 player capable of playing in the post, it shows promise. He was also extremely active defensively, switching onto guard and getting deflections and blocks as Tjarks mentioned.

Bolden finished high school in the US and went to UCLA. After not playing his first year for academic reasons, Bolden was unhappy with his role when he finally got to play. He decided to jump ship and play in Serbia instead of finishing out his season with the Bruins. 

In his one season with Beogard, Bolden averaged 12.9 points and 7.2 rebounds a game while shooting 42 percent from three on his way to receiving the Adriatic League's Top Prospect Award. That award has gone to the likes of Denver Nuggets budding star Nikola Jokic and, of course, the Sixers' Dario Saric.

The Sixers are in an interesting spot with Bolden. Since he was a second-round pick, he's eligible to be on a two-way contract. That would allow the team to stash Bolden on their G-League affiliate the Delaware 87ers while still being available for the Sixers. 

The lure of possibly playing in the NBA this season rather than return to Serbia where he is under contract with Beogard would likely be enough for Bolden to go with a two-way deal. The Sixers would also have to buy out the rest of his deal overseas.

"I could start today," Bolden said the day after the draft of when he'd like to play for the Sixers. "But there's uncertainty with that. The organization drafted me with a plan and I'm going to stick to the plan. I'm subject to a European contract at the moment but whatever the organization wants and they say is what'll happen." 

Did Bolden do enough in summer league play to alter the Sixers' plans? Training camp will go a long way in answering that question.