Subscribe
Follow Us
The Philadelphia 76ers came into the 2023 NBA Draft with no selections. Over the course of a few wild hours and with trades zipping around every which way, that did not change. The Sixers prepared to take the easy road by buying a late draft pick, as evidenced by a leaked picture of their draft room but were unable to make it happen.
Despite being in the presence of a deep draft class, the Sixers didn’t get a single selection. Only the New York Knicks can say the same. But as it turned out, the Sixers didn’t need to. Some notable players from the class went undrafted and the Sixers scooped them up. They signed three players — Ricky Council IV, Terquavion Smith and Azuolas Tubelis —to two-way contracts and another, Marcus Bagley, to an exhibit 10 deal.
A few of the guys they snagged were projected to be drafted, some even in the high second round. Philly essentially took swings at players that most believe were good enough to be draftees, though they still face an uphill battle toward a role on a championship-hopeful team. Let's give out grades to each signing the Sixers made after the 2023 NBA Draft.
Ricky Council IV: A+
Council has two brothers and a dad also named Ricky Council — that’s certainly one way for the Sixers to say the name. The 6-foot-6 wing also has bunnies and the ability to throw down a nasty dunk if given the space. After two years at Wichita State, he transferred to Arkansas and averaged 16.1 points, 3.6 rebounds and 2.3 assists while shooting 43.3 percent from the field and 27.0 percent on threes.
Although he is not much of an outside shooter, Council draws fouls — posting a free-throw attempt rate north of 42 percent in all three seasons — and possesses a 6-foot-10 wingspan. He attacks the paint with explosiveness and nifty dribble moves. His passing instincts are better than the numbers suggest, as he can be a great ball mover and connective playmaker within a free-flowing offense.
Defensively, Council gets after it. He can be a tough guy to shake on the ball and could be a multi-positional defender for the Sixers. Athleticism is a massive need for Philly and Council brings just that. He could fit in very well as someone who moves off the ball, attacks off of closeouts and gets the Sixers running in transition.
For an undrafted free agent, Council has a lot of potential, even if his three-point shot doesn’t become great. As long as it becomes okay, he should have enough juice in other areas to be a strong bench piece.
Terquavion Smith: A-
Smith was named to the All-ACC Second Team last season, his sophomore year at NC State, and was an ACC All-Freshman nomination the season prior. This past season, he averaged 17.9 points, 4.1 assists, 3.6 rebounds and 1.4 steals per game while shooting 38.0 percent from the field and 33.6 percent from deep.
Don’t be dismayed by those scoring efficiency numbers, unappealing as they might be. The 6-foot-4 guard can get buckets in a variety of manners. His shooting on pull-ups and off the catch, even while moving or with a hand in his face, is really promising. He massively improved his assist output over his two seasons, nearly doubling what he put up as a freshman despite only a modest increase in minutes.
Smith's defense is also an area that has seen improvement. Although his skinny frame makes him liable to being tossed around, he generates turnovers off the ball and gives effort on that end. The Sixers probably won’t use him as a primary defender but it will still be key for him to find ways to be useful.
Smith is definitely talented but a player of his archetype — someone who relies often on tough shots and isn’t a supreme shooter or playmaker — finding success at the next level is not as safe of a bet as others. Still, he's a hooper and has the drive to continue improving.
Azuolas Tubelis: C
Article Continues Below
Tubelis enjoyed a successful three-year career at Arizona, winning the Pac-12 Tournament MVP last season and being named to the All-Pac 12 First Team in the last two seasons. The native of Lithuania whose height is listed at 6-foot-11 in many places but just under 6-foot-10 in others, averaged 19.8 points, 9.1 rebounds, 2.0 assists and 1.1 steals per game while shooting 57.0 percent from the field as a junior.
Using his size and footwork in the post, Tubelis scored with ease when he got to his position on the block. The left-handed big has back-to-the-basket moves that capitalize on his size. Although he let some shots fly from deep, the results were uninspiring, though he did look good from the mid-range. He reads the floor well and has solid passing touch, though he doesn’t project to be an offensive hub at the high post a la Domantas Sabonis or Bam Adebayo.
Barring some massive improvements on defense, Tubelis might very well be barbecue chicken on that end in the NBA. He isn’t good in space and doesn’t make up for it near the basket. For him not to be switchable at his size is a big, big issue. He has shown value in protecting the rim in the past but his struggles in college suggest that the NBA will be much harsher to him.
Watched a few Azuolas Tubelis games & came away impressed w/ his defense. Has good instinct & made smart rotations. Does a good job using strength to hold his ground in the post. Should be able to guard multiple positions at college level & is a good rebounder who can grab & go pic.twitter.com/Qs6W5mIv3t
— Zach Milner (@ZachMilner13) May 27, 2020
Tubelis is not the type of player that typically succeeds at the NBA level. Big men without reliable perimeter skills that aren’t quick or nimble athletes often struggle to find consistent minutes. Is it possible for him to overcome his immense defensive shortcomings by bringing lots of value on offense? Sure, but it isn’t likely enough for the Sixers to expect him to be a major player.
Marcus Bagley: B-
Marvin Bagley III's younger brother spent three years at Arizona State but only played 17 games, including just five over the last two seasons, averaging 10.9 points, 5.5 rebounds and 1.2 assists per game. He missed most of last season due to a suspension and dealt with injuries to his knee and calf in the prior seasons.
Bagley is the perfect type of player worth a flyer: an athletic wing that can shoot. He shot 35.1 percent from deep over his 17 games and has a 6-foot-11 wingspan. He's a very mobile athlete that could be overlooked partly because of his injuries and lack of sample size in college. But those factors will also work against him as he heads to the NBA.
One worrisome stat is that over his brief time on the collegiate court, he shot 41.7 percent inside the arc. For someone his size and skill, that’s an appalling figure. He has to figure out his in-between game in order to get clean looks and provide real value on offense.
The odds that Bagley becomes a contributor for the Sixers are slim to none. He will likely end up being a regular player for the Delaware Blue Coats. But simply as a low-risk, high-reward swing, Bagley makes perfect sense.
