In the upcoming draft, the Philadelphia 76ers will possess the third overall pick, with the New York Knicks falling right behind at number four. As of late, it seems that the first two picks will consist of the two best bigs, and that the two best guards will fall into the three and four spots.
D'Angelo Russell
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 185lbs.
Team: Ohio State
The case for D'Angelo Russell to the 76ers with the 3rd overall pick:
In the rare talks about Mudiay versus Russell, people have seemed to touch on the fact that Russell played this entire past year in college here in the states and for that reason has had more chances to impress scouts and GM's due to the fact that he was much easier to watch than Mudiay was, who chose to play in China versus playing in the NCAA. Russell spent his year averaging 19.3 points, 5.7 rebounds, and 5.0 assists per game at Ohio State. For the 76ers, it seems like they are content to see what the frontcourt of Nerlens Noel and Joel Embiid will do once the two are both healthy and playing alongside each other. With that being said, one would have to assume the focus would be on the backcourt and small forward, with backcourt being slightly higher on the priority list due to the trade involving former Rookie of the Year Michael Carter-Willams. Guards currently on the 76ers roster include Ish Smith, Isaiah Canaan, Tony Wroten, Glenn Robinson III, and Jason Richardson. None of those guards seem to have the ability to really help carry the team long term. So, if the plan is to add a guard that can slide into either the one or the two, Russell seems to be the more attractive pick as his shooting and ability to score off the ball would allow him to thrive at either guard position.
The case for D'Angelo Russell to the New York Knicks with the 4th overall pick:
Well, for starters, Phil Jackson had to open up his wallet after making a public statement about Russell after attending an Ohio State versus Nebraska game. Jackson was quoted saying, "He's a great-looking kid. Great prospect." As far as the Knicks current roster, with Iman Shumpert and J.R. Smith both chasing a ring in Cleveland, the only talented guard appears to be Tim Hardaway Jr. With Hardaway Jr. playing shooting guard, the Knicks would have to be confident that Russell could run the point guard while Hardaway continues to play the two. It's not like it's impossible for a scoring guard to succeed at the one, just look at Stephen Curry and Damian Lillard. Russell would be a welcome addition to a Knicks team that struggled all throughout the year and continue to be focused on building around star forward Carmelo Anthony. With a backcourt of Russell and Hardaway along with Melo, the Knicks certainly wouldn't be title contenders by any means, but they would be making a good move by adding a guard with as much potential as Russell has and then working from there.
Emmanuel Mudiay
Height: 6'5"
Weight: 190lbs.
Team: Guangdong Tigers (China)
The case for Emmanuel Mudiay to the 76ers with the 3rd overall pick:
To counteract the point being made about scouts and GM's having easier access to D'Angelo Russell during last season due to him playing in the states, the same point can be made that if a scout or GM wants to see a prospect in person to scout him, they will find a way to make it happen. While it might be easy to say that Russell will go ahead of Mudiay because people have forgotten about him due to playing overseas is ludicrous. In fact, some scouts may look at Mudiay as a more highly touted prospect since he did play professional basketball versus playing at the college level. In China, Mudiay had averages of 18 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 5.9 assists per game. Those numbers compare very closely to those of D'Angelo Russell. So again, a lot will depend on how one compares pro basketball in China to college basketball here in the states as far as competition and skill level of opponents. The 76ers traded away what most thought was there point guard of the future in Michael Carter-Williams. With the former rookie of the year being a pure point guard, they may look to replace him with someone very similar, meaning Emmanuel Mudiay. While you may find Mudiay listed as a combo guard, those of us who have studied him will know that his ability to score the basketball is very limited right now. You want strong shooting from a combo guard, and in Mudiay's case, that's one of his biggest weaknesses. So if the 76ers want a true point guard to run their offense, Emmanuel Mudiay may be the best bet for the young Sixers.
The case for Emmanuel Mudiay to the Knicks with the 4th overall pick:
If the Knicks were to land Emmanuel Mudiay, he could help become the quarterback of the Knicks offense allowing Carmelo Anthony the ability to move without the ball. Emmanuel Mudiay could in fact learn from some people in the Knicks organization as well as the team. Knicks head coach Derek Fisher may not be the best point guard in NBA history, but he managed to carve out an 18-year career as a player. Fisher could be a mentor to a young Mudiay and give him some keys on how to be around the league for a long time. As mentioned above, Mudiay is not a very strong shooter at all. Current Knicks point guard Jose Calderon, on the other hand, is. Calderon could be a shooting coach to the young point guard without much of a shot. If he were to improve it, it could add so much to his game and make him a much more versatile player. Another positive for the Knicks would be that Emmanuel Mudiay is a pure point guard. With Mudiay at point guard and Hardaway Jr. at shooting guard, the Knicks would have a very sizeable backcourt comprised of two young guards.
Closing Thoughts:
Both Emmanuel Mudiay and D'Angelo Russell are very talented guards. This article was written with the assumption that these two will go number three and four in the draft. Like we have all seen before, draft day can be quite the shocker. Rumors have already started floating around that the Lakers may take Russell at two and that the Knicks are interested in Willie Cauley-Stein at number four. Come draft day, these guards could go higher or lower than currently projected. With that being said, if in fact they do go at number three and four in no particular order, you could see why the 76ers and Knicks could really set themselves up for success.