The prevailing wisdom with the draft cautions teams against picking for need. The more prudent move, however, would be to choose the best player available.
That strategy is good in principle, but blindly following that model has led to some disastrous results in previous years - none more so than in Philadelphia. Drafting centers in three consecutive drafts coincided with general manager Sam Hinkie getting axed, and it's created awkward questions with regard to team building and the direction of the franchise.
Hinkie took the best player available each time, but that made for some unsightly pairings. Nerlens Noel and Jahlil Okafor were terrible when they shared the court, and worse yet, they hindered each other's productivity. That's why both players have been put on the trading block.
Here are some potential pairings that teams should look to avoid in this year's draft.
Ben Simmons, Philadelphia 76ers
All signs suggest Simmons is going first overall to the Sixers - and for good reason. Simmons is an athletic marvel and a top-tier talent. Any team - especially a directionless franchise like the Sixers - that passes on a potential superstar would be silly.
But it's not quite a slam dunk in terms of fit. Consider Simmons' skillset: The big selling point with the 20-year-old Aussie is that he's a hyper-athletic power forward with a tight set of handles. Will there be room for him to operate in Philadelphia's crowded frontcourt?
Pending trades, the Sixers have six frontcourt players that they're invested in between Okafor, Noel, Jerami Grant, Robert Covington, Joel Embiid (if he returns from injury), and Dario Saric (if he finally comes over from Europe).
Does adding another big really make sense?
The argument can be made that Simmons is simply too talented to pass up, and given his physical profile, the Sixers should definitely give Simmons plenty of consideration.
But wouldn't adding a wing scorer like Brandon Ingram make more sense? Never mind that he's drawing comparisons to Kevin Durant - adding a playmaking wing would give the Sixers a much-needed outside threat to pair with all their interior talent. Drafting Ingram would give the Sixers the opportunity to finally start building a team.
Boston Celtics using the No. 3 pick on anyone
Having the No. 3 pick should never be considered a problem, per se. But given that it's a two-player draft, and the Celtics' timeline, the most sensible move would be to trade the pick.
Dragan Bender has been linked to the pick, but the lanky 18-year-old has struggled to find playing time while playing in the Israeli League - which is to say that picking him would be a gamble.
Marquese Chriss has impressed in workouts and is an athletic marvel, but he posted alarmingly low free-throw and rebounding rates for a center in college. He's a nice prospect, but again, he's nothing close to a surefire selection.
It's not even necessarily about the prospects themselves. It doesn't make sense for the Celtics to pick any teenager only to develop them for years down the line. They're a playoff team on the precipice of contention. They're already stocked with young talent, and they should be looking to package the pick for the long-awaited All-Star that Danny Ainge has ardently coveted.
Toronto Raptors, Any 'win-now' player
Similar to the Celtics, the Raptors are that rare playoff team that ended up with a lottery selection thanks to a forward-thinking trade.
Given their immediate needs, the Raptors have a major decision to make with the No. 9 pick. Should they take another flyer on a prospect, move the pick, or should they take someone who can help them in the interim?
Taking on another project would be a difficult sell. The Raptors already have three dead roster spots devoted to incubating Bruno Caboclo, Lucas Nogueira, and Delon Wright. Adding a fourth player who can't contribute would put significant strain on the rotation.
The alternative would be to take a so-called win-now player. Picking up a 7-footer like Jakob Poeltl would theoretically solve the issues at backup center (if Bismack Biyombo becomes too expensive to re-sign), but relying on any rookie to make meaningful contributions to a 56-win team would be misguided.
That's why moving the pick might be the most prudent move. The Raptors' war chest is flush with surplus selections and budding talent. Packaging it together could help the Raptors lure a third star to prop up Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan.
