One of the greatest "what ifs" in NBA's history (Embiid/Tatum/Bridges)

[GSWFan1994]

Here we go. Just 2 simple, recent moves that would eternally come back to bite Phila's ass:

1. 2017 draft: they don't trade pick 3 (Jayson Tatum) for pick 1 (Markelle Fultz) plus other assets I can't recall right now (going Boston's side).

2. 2018 draft: they don't trade pick 10 (Mikal Bridges) for pick 15 (Zhaire Smith) plus that Miami pick.

In that timeframe, they still would have Ben Simmons + assets to turn into James Harden.

And, of course, Joel Embiid would still be with the team.

I'm leaving out the Tobias Harris/Jimmy Butler debacle out, but you can include it (or the consequences of its assets/moves) if you want.

Heck, if you want to.... just consider a core of Embiid + Bridges + Tatum. You can even leave Harden out.

Just those 3 and some role players and shooters... for role playing and spacing purposes. Maybe throw in Maxey in there?

So I'd like to ask the fine folks around here: how would that 76ers team turn out nowadays?

[UcanUwill]

Very good core, possible dynasty, but I stick with Shirlley to be safe. I bet you can came up with far better scenarios than even that, I mean what if Jokic was taken with any of those first 46 picks before and so on. Or maybe you just sign Presti and don't be cheap...

[Ticket]

Literally 15 teams could have drafted Giannis and Jokic in consecutive years.

Draft hindsight is always 20/20

[celticfan42487]

Well Ainge would have just taken Tatum #1 if he wasn't certain he'd be there for the #3 trade per conversation with the 76ers and Lakers GMs before that trade went down.

So I don't think Tatum was ever an option for the 76ers.

[Buckeye-NBAFan]

Of all hindsight picks, trading away the perfect fit hometown kid of one of your employees who projects as NBA ready for a future pick and a project when you're transitioning to win now mode is an all timer.

[Fencer reregistered]

Obvious ones because the teams already were good enough to be recent champions were Len Bias' death and Darko Milicic being drafted over Wade/Bosh/Anthony.

The Wiseman fiasco comes to mind too, but at least that was in a weaker draft than the Milicic miss.

[Michael Jordan]

Yeah TBH Tatum and Embiid alone on rookie contracts is an elite core. Perhaps they'd retain Jimmy Butler over Tobias Harris too. Either way they'd have Harden/Butler at the 2.

[bisme37]

This has been discussed a lot but I don't get the take that Tatum was never an option for the Sixers. Of course he was. They had the #1 pick and the whole thing about the #1 pick is you can draft whomever you want.

Ainge and everyone else knew they wanted Fultz and everyone knew the Lakers wanted Lonzo, which is why Ainge was confident in trading the pick and still getting Tatum. But it was still a risk because once the pick was traded and owned by Philly they had the option to take Tatum or anyone else for that matter.

So yeah... Embiid, Tatum and Bridges would and could have been amazing.

[GSWFan1994]

This has been discussed a lot but I don't get the take that Tatum was never an option for the Sixers. Of course he was. They had the #1 pick and the whole thing about the #1 pick is you can draft whomever you want.

Ainge and everyone else knew they wanted Fultz and everyone knew the Lakers wanted Lonzo, which is why Ainge was confident in trading the pick and still getting Tatum. But it was still a risk because once the pick was traded and owned by Philly they had the option to take Tatum or anyone else for that matter.

So yeah... Embiid, Tatum and Bridges would and could have been amazing.

Appreciate your reply, my friend.

Yes, I agree with what you said that once Philly had the pick via trade, they could change their mind and not draft Fultz.

I mean, we are only talking about a hypothesis here, for Christ's sake. This is not like I was suggesting anything written on stone, or a profound rewritten of history, right?

Moreover, what intrigues me is that Philly STILL would have the assets to build a team around this trio.

Heck, even a duo of Tatum + Bridges, with an average or slightly above average supporting team would have to be considered a surefire playoff team, don't you think?

Now think about the same scenario, but adding Embiid too. Maybe they would have an even better team than they have today, in reality.

Now (once again) think about moving Ben Simmons for Harden (or whatever suggestion you might want, maybe selling him when his asking price was higher), plus the Harris/Butler moves/subsequent moves, etc.

And, of course, just remember that all these 3 main pieces would be on their rookie contracts... so you would have a boatload of cap to improve your roster all around the edges.

This could be an amazing, unforgettable squad.

[sjballer03]

Literally 15 teams could have drafted Giannis and Jokic in consecutive years.

Draft hindsight is always 20/20

This is true but Tatum and Bridges were "safe" picks. People really didn't know much about Giannis and Jokic at the time.

[payton2kemp]

Was the 10th pick to get Bridges their own pick? if they get Tatum the year before than maybe they're not in that exact draft position.

[GSWFan1994]

Was the 10th pick to get Bridges their own pick? if they get Tatum the year before than maybe they're not in that exact draft position.

Yes, it was. But please let us leave the minutae out.

[KirkHinrich12]

Tatum to the Sixers is on the same tier as the CP3 to lakers nonsense.

Ainge had the top pick. He was selecting Tatum. He would not have traded the pick unless he was certain he would land Tatum.

Bridges definitely though. That was up there as one of the most insane trades ever. Couldn’t believe it on draft night.

[Knightfall]

Bridges is one I can say the sixers were foolish on letting go.

As for Tatum. Yeah that was Ainges pick the entire way. Ainge just hustled a extra pick.from the sixers knowing they weren't going to pick him.

[SleepingDragon]

No chance Tatum lands with the Sixers.

The Celtics would've kept the #1 pick and select Tatum.

[facothomas22]

Assuming Mikal Bridges and Jayson Tatum developed anywhere near the same level of players that they're right now if they were drafted by the 76ers(technically the 76ers drafted Bridges, but decided to traded down), that team would unbeatable. The wing depth would be very good. Mikal Bridges would be responsible for guarding bigger SG/SF with Tatum guarding SF? I imagine that Joel Emiid and Jayson Tatum would be the 76ers 2 superstars and would've been known as the best duo in the NBA. The question becomes, do they still trade Ben Simmons for James Harden? Or would the 76ers at that point would've simply traded Ben Simmons for better fitting pieces since they're would've two legit stars on their team already?

[LakersLegacy]

Harden
Butler
Bridges
Tatum
Embid

[Patsfan1081]

Philly had a string of high lottery picks you could play this game with a lot of years. I mean they could have had a team of Booker, Brown, Tatum, Embiid, Bridges, Lavine, ect…. but who knows how they would have developed or how one pick effects the other. The only real stunner to me was the trade of Bridges because of the ties to the city/org.

[FlyingArrow]

Literally 15 teams could have drafted Giannis and Jokic in consecutive years.

Draft hindsight is always 20/20

True. The Tatum assumption is a bad assumption. Nobody knew Fultz would forget how to shoot. What is true, though, is that Fultz was never worth TWO first-round picks, even if he worked out as hoped. Trading up for him was an absolutely terrible idea. They would've probably wound up with him at #3 anyway. That other pick turned into Romeo Langford, who hasn't done a lot, but it's one more roll of the dice the Sixers threw away.

Trading away Bridges was also a terrible idea, even at the time. But if we kept him, no telling what would've happened. Most likely, he would've been shipped off for Tobias Harris instead of the FRP we got for him. Or we would've shipped off a different FRP and maybe not gotten Maxey. Although if we didn't make the Fultz trade, then we'd have another FRP available to trade, too.

Almost every move between Hinkie's exit and Morey's start ended up being a bad move.

[Buckeye-NBAFan]

Was the 10th pick to get Bridges their own pick? if they get Tatum the year before than maybe they're not in that exact draft position.

Yes, it was. But please let us leave the minutae out.

The Bridges pick was the Lakers pick sent to Phoenix for Nash, then to Pilly for Michael Carter Williams in a three way with Milwaukee