I Hope I'm Wrong, But I've Got Doubts

     As I watch Tristan da Silva highlights, I get mad all over again that the Sixers drafted Jared McCain over him. Don't get me wrong, Jared McCain is a talented guard, lethal behind the arc. He's fast, and possibly could take over the point guard position, but, the Sixers missed out. 

    I was really hoping that Daryl Morey would draft Tristan da Silva. Da Silva is a slim 6'8 forward ready to dominate the post. He shot 39.5% from three at Colorado although he only attempted 162 threes. His long arms are key to his strong wing defense, giving him 1.1 steals per game and 5.1 rebounds. Da Silva's per game average of 16 points is just the icing on the cake. 

    Don't get me wrong, McCain isn't a bad player. The former Duke guard is deadly behind the arc, shooting 41.4% last year. He averaged 14.3 points and five rebounds per game last year, and though he is small, he is shifty. McCain is agile, quick, and is ready to shoot in any position. However, McCain is a small guard, known mostly for his TikToks and painted nails than his skills. His off the court antics could be an unnecessary distraction. 

Was drafting McCain a mistake?

     Photo Credit: Olympic Games Paris

    Defense was brutal last year. The Sixers couldn't rebound, and getting another small guard isn't helpful. Right now the Sixers have Tyrese Maxey, Kyle Lowry, De'Anthony Melton, Buddy Hield, Cam Payne, and now 6'2 Jared McCain. Getting bigger players, and a good defender, is key to a real playoff team. 

    Many argue Dalton Knecht was the better option However, although Knecht is good, Da Silva is much better.  Knecht is 6'5- arguably a forward, but on the smaller side. Da Silva would have provided the win-now talent, with also the right size and wingspan. 

     However, I do like Adem Bona. He's big- case closed. He's 6'9, and at UCLA was a physical dominating center. He's hard to score on, harder to defend, and I'm surprised he wasn't drafted sooner. The 21 year old averaged 12.4 points 5.9 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks last year. 

    Bottom line: I just wish the Sixers drafted a forward. It isn't over for the Sixers, but not what I wanted. Now the Sixers will have to capitalize in free agency to get a forward, which may not be hard, but it could have been easier. 

The above photo was taken from an article on the Olympics website. Photo taken by Grant Halverson/Getty Images. Image used for commentary.