Thorn says Sixers won't move from 15th pick
After monitoring the workout of Illinois center Meyers Leonard, president Rod Thorn said the team would not move up from the 15th pick.
Thorn says Sixers won't move from 15th pick
Bob Cooney
Big, strong and athletic. That is what the Sixers have said they are looking for when they make their first pick, No. 15, in Thursday's NBA draft. They had a player in for a workout Tuesday who fits that description in 7-1 center Meyers Leonard, out of Illinois. Leonard may or might not be available when the Sixers pick, and they may or may not want him. It's all still a mystery as to whom they may select and if they'll stick with selecting an inside presence.
"We had a good workout out today. Meyers Leonard is a guy who is in our mix," Sixers GM Rod Thorn said. "He's over seven feet, has a great body, can shoot the ball and is very athletic. So he's definitely a guy who is in our mix."
That mix, Thorn conceded, includes maybe a handful of players that interest the team. And they most likely won't be moving from that 15 spot.
"I don’t see us moving up," said Thorn. "I think we’re content to be about where we are right now. There are some cases that you couldn’t even move up if you wanted to. As of right now I don’t see us moving up. I’d say in a normal draft 15 is probably about the cutoff of players who you think are going to be good players. This year I think it goes a little bit deeper than that. We’ve gone over the stuff ad nauseam with our scouts, with people, with Tony (DiLeo) and Courtney (Witte). I think we’re going to have a choice at 15 of 2 or 3 guys we like.
This draft is loaded with power forwards, whether it's a talented class is yet to be seen.
"Definitely there are more fours and fives who will be NBA players in this draft. Not as many twos as normal and not as many ones. The depth of the draft is in fours and fives. You always hope that whoever you draft can play in your rotation. Sometimes that doesn’t happen. If you take a real young kid, let’s say, that you think has a real good upside might not be able to play that much right away. But I think any time you draft 15 you’re hopeful the guy can play in the rotation.
"There are two or three guys that bring excitement to us but they may not be there. We’re hopeful. Our coaches are included in this too, there are several guys that we like who we think can come in and play for us."
Perhaps Leonard is among that group. We'll find out on Thursday.
Robbie Hummel, 2nd round!!!!— Njtod10- Can anyone get excited about Thorn.....wtf....he's such a bore fest...after reading this article and then imagining him leading the draft room....I think I want to jump in front of a SEPTA bus on Frankford Ave.....please get rid of him NOWWWWWW— bbrady25
- Damn this team smh We'll never go anywhere with this staff— Ace-Philadelphia
- Now now bbrady25.... if you want to jump in front of a bus, do it for a good reason. Like... someone forcing you to watch the WNBA for example.— Elbarad
- While I do agree with the assessment of a few good players falling through the cracks at #15, I'm trying to justify the reasoning behind being public about it...Softening the fan base to accept "whatever falls to us"...or taking a hard line stance with a potential trade partner as a negotiating ploy?...To date, the Sixers have done an admirable job of keep everything a big secret...almost hermitlike...yet now put out to the public that maybe a guy they like falls down to them...bbrady: I'll meet you at the Mayfair Diner!— bearsfriend
- I hate Thorn. Next, after the draft, he'll tell us he's content with the makeup of this team and does not foresee any trades happening. I repeat, I hate Thorn.— EricGraf
- And why the hell wont we trade up????? We need an impact player. Thorn is just collecting a paycheck and doing nothing to upgrade this team. We need him out now. In NJ he wasnt scared to make a bold trade but here he just sits on his hands. I hate him and we need to remove him from power now in favor of someone with some initiative and a pulse— MrSmithTP
- Leonard is a project and Zeller is a project. Neither one is going to be all that great in the middle. Leonard just started to figure out college and that took a year. It will take two to figure out the NBA and that is as a back up. Ditto for Zeller. Get real.— alwaysphil1
- Zeller is is no way a "project"...Spent 4 years at UNC,well coached, runs like a deer,quick jumper, and does everything pretty well...Not an All-Star with huge upside. But better than Vucevic, and serviceable...Myers Leonard is regarded as the bigger upside, with bigger measurables as a really good athlete, and plays with an edge...Both are VERY bright guys, and don't be surprised if Leonard becomes a Sixer, if T Ross is gone, and Leonard somehow remains on the board. — bearsfriend
- We blew it with Ferry, Thorn has definately past his prime.— edogs
- 6th, 11th, and felton for iggy and 15th? might have to throw in someone else but id like that option if possible. could take both drummond and p jones or ross— HDemetriou
Ummm? Why is he here?— combocancer1975- This just in! Thorn says Turner is not a point guard; Collins says Turner is a point guard; Thorn says Sam Young will be a valuable addition; Collins says Who? Thorn says Sixers will not trade up; Collins announces trade for the #7 pick. Thorn says he has a year left on his contract; Collins says time is up, bye bye.— chuckw
- meant crawford not felton. rumor is sixers are interested in him— HDemetriou
- Why philly.com doesn't offer bearsfriend a job writing about b-ball is beyond me.— jskrad
Bob Cooney has been at the Daily News for more than 20 years, working in the sports department for the past 15. This is his third season on the Sixers beat. He has covered just about everything, but mostly college basketball, where he was the La Salle beat writer for six seasons. E-mail Bob at cooneyb@phillynews.com and follow him on Twitter.
