Sixers plan to invite prospects Dunn, Murray, Brown to workouts

By: Brandon Apter, managing editor

We are one month away from the 2016 NBA Draft and while many will continue to debate the Ben Simmons vs. Brandon Ingram conundrum, the Sixers will reportedly do their due diligence on some of the other top players in the draft. Adrian Wojnarowski of Yahoo Sports and The Vertical podcast hears that Philadelphia plans to invite top guard prospects Kris Dunn, Jamal Murray and Jaylen Brown.

Ex-Duke forward Brandon Ingram and ex-Louisiana State forward Ben Simmons are widely projected to be the top two picks in this year’s draft. So much so that many would consider it cavalier for new Sixers president and general manager Bryan Colangelo to select another prospect. Even so, several sources told The Undefeated that Philadelphia expects to also work out ex-California forward Jaylen Brown, ex-Providence point guard Kris Dunn and ex-Kentucky combo guard Jamal Murray. The Sixers are also considering offering workout invitations to ex-Oklahoma guard Buddy Hield and Israel Maccabi Tel Aviv forward Dragan Bender, too.

It is very unlikely the Sixers go with someone other than Simmons or Ingram in the draft, but that doesn't mean that they won't try and make a move to acquire another high pick. Last week, we revisited the idea of the Sixers potentially trading Jahlil Okafor to the Celtics for the third overall pick, which would allow them to select one of the talented guards in the draft.

Kris Dunn is going to be a top 10 pick, likely between picks 8-10. In four years at Providence, Dunn averaged 12.8 points, 5.8 assists and 5.1 rebounds per game and shot 45 percent. He won Big East Player of the Year in each of his first two years at Providence. 

Jamal Murray had an impressive freshman year at Kentucky, averaging 20 points per game on 45.4 percent shooting \ and over 40 percent from beyond the arc. Murray is projected to go in the top five, definitely not lower than six.

Former Cal forward Jaylen Brown is projected to be picked as high as fourth in some mock drafts and as low as eighth. In his lone season at California, Brown averaged 14.6 points and 7.8 rebounds while shooting 43.1 percent from the field.

Buddy Hield is another guard the Sixers could invite to workouts. Hield could fall at the back end of the top 10 or even as far down as 12. In four years at Oklahoma, he averaged 17.4 points and five rebounds on 44.8 percent shooting.

Lastly, Crotian forward Dragon Bender is the last name listed in Wojnarowski's column. He has a $1.3 million buyout with his Isreali club and is reportedly not a draft-and-stash guy, he will join the team who drafts him on June 23. Most mock drafts have Bender going to the Celtics at the third pick with Boston in need of some consistent talent in the post. Bender is only 18 years old.