The Philadelphia 76ers have confirmed that they are drafting LSU freshman Ben Simmons while the Los Angeles Lakers are now leaning towards picking Duke's Brandon Ingram.
The Sixers, having the worst record in the 2015-2016 NBA season with 10-72, won the draft lottery for having 25 percent odds of picking first. On June 23, the team have the chance to land the potential franchise cornerstone and team him up with promising young players like Jahlil Okafor, Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid, who is now on his way to complete recovery.
Simmons reportedly spent most of his time in Cleveland improving his game and he managed to improve his jump shot which is considered as the weakest aspect of his game. Also, he managed to bulk up, which will help him bang with NBA caliber frontcourt players.
"Simmons has spent the past two months out of the spotlight working on his game in Cleveland. The no-distractions move appears to be paying off," ESPN's Chad Ford wrote. The insider also said that Simmons worked on his physical tools as well as his range, which is considered as the biggest question mark by scouts.
The Lakers, meanwhile, are expected to pick Ingram for his upside raw physical tools, Bleacher Report reported. His height and wingspan are being compared to OKC Thunder's Kevin Durant, who has strived in the modern day game.
Moreover, the small forward position is a spot the team could use some help on. Last season, Kobe Bryant went out of his natural position and moved up to the three-spot for Jordan Clarkson and D'Angelo Russell to occupy the backcourt. With Bryant gone, Ingram may be an immediate option to start at the position.
Most draft boards still consider Ingram as the second best option while Providence point guard Kris Dunn is ranked as third overall. Dragan Bender, who was part of the top five before the season was over, fell to the seventh spot, with California's Jaylen Brown and Kentucky's Jamal Murray rounding up the top five. Here is a scouting report on Simmons.