The experts grade Evan Turner

The Sixers did exactly what everyone said they should do when they drafted Evan Turner at the 2010 NBA Draft. Naturally, since the Sixers got the second best player in the draft with the second overall pick, the general consensus has been that the Sixers had a good draft overall. Here is just a sampling of what some experts are saying about the Sixers draft:

Chad Ford, ESPN: A-
The 76ers snagged the best player in college basketball and have to be thrilled. Turner's versatility and ability to lead in big moments are the stuff that makes players great. His lack of elite athleticism and his high turnover rate are some cause for concern, but most see him with similar upside to Brandon Roy.

More problematic is Turner's fit in Philly. He and Andre Iguodala are similar players and both are at their best with the ball in their hands. I think it's likely that the Sixers will try to find a trade for Iguodala this summer. If they can replace him with a shooter, Turner could be the guy who turns the Sixers back into a contender.

Chris Mannix, SI.com: B+
Is Evan Turner going to be a good player? No question. Was he the consensus No. 2 pick? Absolutely. Is he going to be better than Wesley Johnson in three years? Ehhhhh. Turner was a no-brainer: He's polished, mature and a natural two-guard who, along with Jrue Holiday, gives Philly a dynamic backcourt that will be entrenched on Broad St. for the next decade. But Johnson was the high-riser in the 2010 draft, with every team -- including the Sixers -- gushing over his workouts. Philadelphia was after another late first-, early second-round pick most of the night but struck out, a result it may regret if Daniel Orton or Hassan Whiteside turn out to be players.

Tom Ziller, NBA Fanhouse: A
The Sixers added Evan Turner of Ohio State with the No. 2 pick. He should help them immediately, but you wonder if the Sixers will some day regret passing up on Derrick Favors and DeMarcus Cousins.

Adi Joseph, NBADraft.net: A-
There's not much to say here. The Sixers took the man they wanted, the man their fans wanted and the man many felt was the best player available second overall. With John Wall being such an obvious first pick, they had plenty of time to sort through their possibilities. An argument for Derrick Favors is certainly valid, but there's a lot to like with Turner. His fit in Philadelphia depends largely on Andre Iguodala's future with the team.

Christopher Reina, RealGM.com: B+
Evan Turner is a pick you can't really quarrel with because the team needed a pure basketball player and someone that would be ready to contribute immediately. I have Turner ranked behind Cousins and Favors in terms of NBA potential, but I'd put him ahead of both on level of confidence. Even though Turner doesn't have the athleticism commonly seen from lead scoring guards, his versatility to play multiple positions and fill a box score will make him incredibly productive regardless.

For my thoughts on Turner, see my piece from yesterday.

(AP Photo)

Evan Turner is officially a Sixer

Ever since the Sixers won the rights to draft second in the 2010 NBA Draft, the general consensus has been that they would draft Ohio State guard Evan Turner. Despite some initial wavering and some speculation that they might be after a big man, the Sixers got the best player available and took Turner in Thursday's NBA Draft.

In Turner, the Sixers get a player who has an NBA-ready game and will be able to contribute right away. The shooting guard has no glaring weaknesses as he can handle the ball, create his own shot and play a little defense. About the only thing Turner doesn't have is range from the outside but you can live with that when he does everything else so well.

Coupled with point guard Jrue Holiday, the Sixers now are set in the backcourt for at least the next decade. Sure, picking Turner to go along with Andre Iguodala and Thaddeus Young makes the Sixers a little wing heavy, but they were smart to not pass up someone who arguably could be the best player in the 2010 draft.

Here is Turner's profile from NBA.com and his profile from DraftExpress.com.

With no more picks in the draft, here is a breakdown of how the Sixers roster looks right now:

Guards:
Jrue Holiday
Evan Turner
Lou Williams
Willie Green
Jodie Meeks

Forwards:
Andre Iguodala
Thaddeus Young
Elton Brand
Andres Nocioni
Marreese Speights
Jason Kapono
Jason Smith

Center:
Spencer Hawes

With 13 players under contract for next season, it looks like Ed Stefanski won't be very active in the free agent market. If he wants to add any more pieces, he will have to make some deals. Personally, I would love to see the Sixers unload Willie Green and Jason Kapono.

Turner it is: 2010 NBA Mock Draft Round-up

With the NBA Draft coming up on Thursday, I figured it was time for me to do my annual mock draft round-up where I collect the opinions of who all of the various experts think the Sixers will pick. Usually, the experts have a variety of opinions about what the Sixers will do but things are a little different this year: every expert thinks the Sixers will draft Evan Turner. What that basically means is, despite those early grumblings that the Sixers were going to draft Derrick Favors, there won't be much drama this year as Turner is basically a lock to be coming to Philly.

Here is a round-up of what the experts are saying about Turner:

Ian Thomsen, SI.com:
New coach Doug Collins will hope Turner -- the most mature player at the top of this draft -- becomes the Eastern version of Brandon Roy, settling down the Sixers and providing the leadership and playmaking that were lacking last season. The 76ers may also consider a trade to move back in the draft while picking up a veteran in the package.

Hoopshype.com:
Smooth, versatile wing prospect who can play any of the backcourt positions. Tremendous shot-creator with an especially impressive mid-range game. Gets to the free throw line with ease and fills up the stat-sheet with rebounds, assists, blocks and steals. Needs to improve perimeter shooting range and become less turnover prone. NCAA player of the year.

RealGM.com:
Even without the accidental preview on their web page, all indications are strong that Turner will be Philadelphia's pick. His skill and feel for the game is excellent, but his ability to work on his body to get as athletic and strong as All-Stars will be what potentially separates him because he doesn't have the physical gifts to get anywhere he wants on the floor right now.

Steve Alexander, NBCSports.com:
Perhaps no player is as NBA-ready as the Ohio State product, who should be a lock to the Sixers at No. 2. He should vie for Rookie of the Year in Philly, who was the other big winner on lottery night. Rumors are still swirling that the Sixers might take Derrick Favors with this pick, but I get the sense Doug Collins wants to use Elton Brand at center and Thaddeus Young at power forward. Their biggest hole is at shooting guard, and Turner will step right in and likely start for the Sixers next season – as long as they follow the script and pass on Favors.

Jeff Goodman, FoxSports.com:
New coach Doug Collins and the Sixers brass could use a perimeter shooter, but they’ll go with Turner -- the safe pick. Turner is versatile and can play multiple positions.

CollegeHoops.net, InsideHoops.com, DraftExpress.com:
All project the Sixers will take Evan Turner

My take: I've said it all along: the Sixers aren't good enough to pass on the best available player with the second overall pick. A guy like Turner, who some think could be better than John Wall, has to be drafted even if the Sixers already have a glut of swingmen. Sure, the Sixers could use a big man after they traded Sam Dalembert, but in Elton Brand, Spencer Hawes, Marreese Speights and Andres Nocioni they have plenty of bodies to hold down two positions. Do the right thing, Sixers, and draft Evan Turner to be the starting shooting guard for the next decade.

Sixers to draft Evan Turner. Or Derrick Favors. Or DeMarcus Cousins. Or John Wall?!?

The above image was grabbed by Tom Ziller of Fanhouse off the Sixers website on Friday and led many to think the Sixers were tipping their hand about doing the smart thing and drafting Evan Turner. The image wasn't up for long, and about an hour later, the Sixers added more placeholder pages for a few of the other possible top draft picks, including:

Derrick Favors: http://www.nba.com/sixers/draft_favors.html
DeMarcus Cousins: http://www.nba.com/sixers/draft_cousins.html
John Wall: http://www.nba.com/sixers/draft_wall.html

One of two things happened here. The most likely thing is that the Sixers were making pages for all of the top players and started with the most likely pick, Evan Turner. Of course, it's also possible that the Sixers all know they are going to take Turner so they made the page for him, accidentally posted it and didn't take it down in time, forcing them to cover their bases and add in pages for all the possible players.

Whatever the case, let's hope the Sixers do the obvious and draft Evan Turner. A starting five of Jrue Holiday, Turner, Andre Iguodala, Thad Young and Elton Brand isn't championship worthy but it's still pretty darn good. As the poll to the left is showing, Sixers fans know Turner is the guy; let's hope the front office feels the same way.

Welcome to Philly, Evan Turner: Sixers win 2nd overall pick in NBA Draft

How about some good Sixers news for a change? The NBA held it's draft lottery tonight, and while the Wizards were the big winners of the first overall pick and the rights to draft John Wall, the Sixers won the next best thing: the second overall pick, which will likely be used on guard Evan Turner from Ohio State.

While there is still a small chance the Wizards pass on Wall, the Sixers will be very happy to take Turner, a versatile player who is ready to play in the NBA right away. A backcourt of Turner and last years top pick, Jrue Holiday, will be fun to watch for the next decade or so.

Moving up to the number 2 pick in the draft was just what the Sixers needed; it's been a long time since the Sixers were able to draft an impact player like Evan Turner. Finally, the Sixers will be a team worth watching again.