76ers Midseason Grades: Guards

T.J. McConnell, PG: A-
Back in Summer League, when Joel Embiid was still an unknown and everybody was calling for Nik Stauskas' head, T.J. McConnell was struggling to find himself and seemed destined to be relegated to the backup role behind Sergio Rodriguez for the season. Several months later, it's T.J. McConnell who's cemented his place in the lineup and El Chaco who finds himself on the outside looking in. McConnell genuinely looks like a good backup on a good team, which is a lot more than people would have given him even a couple months ago. He's done it by playing much-improved defense (despite not having a good defensive frame) and doing just enough on the offensive end so that teams can't completely leave him. Also working in T.J.'s favor is the Sixers' most iconic moment of the season, his turnaround buzzer beater against the Knicks -- a shot that will live on forever in Process history.

Sergio Rodriguez, PG: C-
When Sergio Rodriguez is hitting his shots he's a serviceable player. Unfortunately, he's not hitting his shots nearly enough (39.6 percent from the field and 35.8 percent from deep) and he's hardly ever playing decent defense. An El Chacho-Jah defensive pick-and-roll combo is almost always a bucket for the opposing team, and it's saying something that even great defenders like Embiid and Covington haven't been able to mask Rodriguez's inability on that side of the floor. The Sixers expected him to start this year, but now it's tough to see him as much more than a third stringer on a good team. If he can be pawned off during the offseason, the Sixers should try, but his contract may end up being a little tricky to move.

Chasson Randle, PG: Incomplete
Randle has only been on the team a couple weeks now, but he was recently signed to a multi-year deal after his second 10-day contract, which bodes pretty well for his future with the Sixers. He's also started eating into more of Sergio Rodriguez's minutes, sometimes even entering the game before El Chacho. The sample size is slightly too small, though, to make a long-term prediction. Yes, he's shooting 40 percent from three so far, but that's in seven games. If Randle continues to play well he may find his way back onto the Sixers as a third string point guard next year, but it's certainly going to be an uphill battle with all the rookies that will be coming in.

Nik Stauskas, SG: B
Sauce Castillo was a mess in Summer League. He genuinely didn't look like a serviceable NBA player. At all. Now though, he actually looks like a legitimate bench scorer if he improves his three point percentage a bit (36.5 percent). Of course, he still doesn't play good defense, but his offensive game has evolved -- he's a much better cutter this year and has clearly worked on his playmaking abilities. He's also looked slightly more explosive offensively this year, providing a number of emphatic dunks. Most importantly, he's found some confidence offensively, which he was sorely lacking last year.

Gerald Henderson, SG: B
Has Gerald Henderson been spectacular? Certainly not. But he is silently shooting 39.8 percent from three and providing good perimeter defense. We might have expected something slightly flashier out of Henderson, but he has definitely justified his contract with his consistent play. He still takes too many long two's and isn't much of a playmaker but I think the 76ers have to be happy with his contributions thus far. Because of his contract, he'll almost certainly be on the roster at the start of next year and I think he'll fit nicely into a bench 3 and D role.

Timothe Luwawu-Cabarrot, SG: B-
TLC's current handle is not good and neither is his shot. These two things make him tough to watch at times, but in terms of future development I think he's actually having a pretty good rookie season. His handle and decision-making will surely improve as he gets used to NBA basketball, while his shot certainly doesn't look broken. In addition, his raw skills have been easily visible whenever he gets on the court -- he's probably the fastest guy on the team, has awesome defensive potential, and even looks like he could become a secondary playmaker on offense. We knew it was going to take some adjustment for TLC after coming to the NBA and I think the team should be pleased with where he is right now.

76ers Possible Trade Partners

The 76ers have a problem, and they need to make a move to offload one of their big men. Unfortunately it seems as if management has decided that Nerlens Noel will be the one to go, maybe because of his attitude or his looming restricted free agency. Getting rid of Jahlil Okafor would be more beneficial for the 76ers (because he's bad), but it's not clear that any team would be willing to give up anything for him. Thus, here are some trade partners that the sixers should begin talking with -- all scenarios involve Nerlens Noel being traded, not because I want him to go, but rather because he still has some actual value and Okafor doesn't really.

1. Portland Trail Blazers
The Blazers only recently became a possible trade destination for one of the 76ers' bigs. Their best rim protector, Festus Ezeli, underwent season ending knee surgery, and the links to Nerlens Noel have been coming ever since. The Blazers also have assets that the 76ers might be interested in, namely Allen Crabbe. About a year ago, the leverage might have been there to pull off some deal for C.J. McCollum, maybe even in return of Jahlil Okafor, but the 76ers have managed to severely devalue Okafor and Noel, while McCollum's value has only risen. If the Sixers could offload Okafor for Crabbe, they should do it, but Noel is the much more likely option considering the Blazers' need for rim protection.
Proposed Trade: Nerlens Noel for Allen Crabbe and a second round draft pick.

2. Boston Celtics
If Danny Ainge weren't so annoying this deal probably could've gotten done over the summer, but of course he is rather annoying so here we are. The Celtics, though, still have need for a rim protector, and could definitely entice the 76ers with their young wings and glut of draft picks. Avery Bradley, Marcus Smart, and Terry Rozier would all likely be talked about in any deal for Nerlens Noel. Bradley is likely more than the Celtics would be willing to give up, but Smart straight up for Noel makes a lot of sense and so does Rozier and draft picks for Noel. It's unlikely that a deal with the Celtics gets done, though, because, as mentioned previously, Danny Ainge is annoying.
Proposed Trade: Nerlens Noel for Marcus Smart.

3. Golden State Warriors
The Warriors feel like a weird trade partner because they are so good and it seems like they don't have any flaws, but rim protection is an actual need of theirs. Ever since Andrew Bogut got injured during the finals they've lacked a true shot-blocking five (sorry JaVale McGee), and Noel would be a perfect piece for them. A package of Patrick McCaw, Kevin Looney, and a first round pick might be enough for the 76ers to pull the trigger on a deal.
Proposed Trade: Nerlens Noel for Patrick McCaw, Kevin Looney, and a first round draft pick.

76ers Draft Big Board

1. Markelle Fultz, PG, Washington
Fultz is far and away the best player in the 2017 class, and his fit with the 76ers is just about perfect. He is a long, athletic point guard who has the opportunity to be revolutionary on the offensive end of the court. Fultz's jump shot is already there, which would presumably allow him to play off-ball alongside Ben Simmons. His finishing at the rim is just as impressive -- he's superbly smooth around the basket and his handles and long stride let him get into the paint at ease. Defensively, he's currently struggling as part of a horrid Washington unit, but with a 6'10" wingspan and great lateral quickness, he has a chance to be a plus defender. At the very least, he would be a big upgrade over Sergio Rodriguez and T.J. McConnell on the defensive side of the ball.
NBA Comparison: Damian Lillard with more defensive potential.

2. Josh Jackson, SG/SF, Kansas
Everybody knows Josh Jackson has a bad jump shot right now, but he does so much else to affect the game that he's easily my second favorite prospect after Fultz. Jackson's ability begins on the defensive end. He's a great perimeter defender, and adds a lot of value through steals, blocks, and rebounds. He also offers a lot of versatility on defense, potentially being able to switch one through five. A defense with Jackson on the perimeter and Embiid in the paint would be a force. Offensively, Jackson has some clear strengths too, even without a working jump shot. He shows great movement both off-the-ball as a slasher and on-the-ball as a playmaker. Additionally, he is already a great finisher at the rim and is so explosive and athletic that he flourishes in the fast break. If he doesn't develop a jump shot, he's still a good player; if he does, he's a star. I think the sixers are willing to take that chance.
NBA Comparison: Justise Winslow with more playmaking ability.

3. Frank Ntilikina, PG, France
This is where the 76ers big board likely begins to diverge from that of other teams. Ntilikina was a good prospect before this season started, but a lot of his value was in any team's ability to unlock his offensive potential. Well, there's no longer any need for that because Ntilikina has unlocked it himself. His three pointer has come alive this season, and it seems as if he could be a real catch-and-shoot weapon in the NBA. He's the perfect point guard to play off-guard with Ben Simmons as a result of this. Defensively, he would go a long way to solving the sixers perimeter defense problem, as his size and athleticism are huge assets.
NBA Comparison: Michael Carter-Williams if he could shoot and was a lot quicker.

4. Jonathan Isaac, SF/PF , Florida State
Jonathan Isaac can shoot, finish at the rim, and defend, but so can a number of other players in this draft. What truly separates Isaac is that he packs those characteristics into a great NBA frame at 6'11" with a 7'1" wingspan. Offensively, he would create mismatches at both the three and the four, and would be a great complement to Simmons and Embiid with his spot-up ability. His biggest weakness is his relative lack of playmaking ability, but the 76ers glut of playmakers would help hide this. Of course, his ability to create could improve with age and would make him a star.
NBA Comparison: Kevin Durant without the ability to create for himself and others.

5. Jayson Tatum, SF, Duke
Tatum has forced his way up draft boards with his play for Duke thus far. We all expected him to have a fantastic mid range game, and he has certainly delivered in that regard, but thus far he's also proven himself to be a good off-ball player, passer, and defender. He's still extremely reliant on his mid range game, and the mid range is not the best shot in the new NBA, but he's so good at it that he might be able to make it work. Throughout the rest of the season, though, he'll have to showcase some semblance of a three point shot to stay this high on my draft board.
NBA Comparison: DeMar DeRozan but less explosive and athletic.

6. OG Anunoby, SF, Indiana
There hasn't been as dominant a college defender as Anunoby in a long time. He's an eliminator on that side of the court. Teams consistently have to play away from whomever he's guarding. Offensively, though, he's very raw. Indiana doesn't ask him to create or be a playmaker offensively, but he does have a three point shot that shows promise and he's simply too athletic to not improve his on-ball ability. Anunoby is so explosive that at the very least he'll be a force in transition and a nuisance on the boards.
NBA Comparison: Kawhi Leonard when he came out of college.

7. Lonzo Ball, PG, UCLA
Ball has set the world on fire throughout his first couple months at UCLA, but there are still reasons to be cautious about him as an NBA prospect. Many people worry about his shot because his form is an absolute mess, but he consistently knocks down three pointers so I'm willing to at least partially pardon the form. What I'm more worried about is his inability to drive and make plays at the rim. He almost always appears tentative in attacking the paint. Despite this, he's been very effective at the college level offensively through his combination of three point shooting and great passing. He also projects as a pretty good defender because of his size, anticipation, and quickness.
NBA Comparison: Honestly nobody, he's an elite passer with a real three point shot, a big body, and the wackiest shooting motion you've ever seen. That's nobody in the NBA right now.

8. Dennis Smith, PG, North Carolina State
I like Dennis Smith as a prospect, but he just doesn't fit with the sixers as well as some other perimeter players. Smith is very much an on-ball player, with great handles, elite quickness, and an impressive ability to finish at the rim. However, he's much smaller than the other PG prospects and projects as a worse defender. His biggest problem, though, is his jump shot, and a faulty jump shot at point guard is going to be a tough sell for the sixers coaching staff and management. He simply can't play off-ball along Ben Simmons until he develops a good jump shot.
NBA Comparison: John Wall in Chris Paul's body.