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Pompey: Winning could end up costing the Sixers at the draft

NEW YORK - Good luck trying to get the 76ers to admit they're tanking. They will publicly disagree with those who have declared their season a lost cause and have suggested that tanking again is in the franchise's best interest.

NEW YORK - Good luck trying to get the 76ers to admit they're tanking.

They will publicly disagree with those who have declared their season a lost cause and have suggested that tanking again is in the franchise's best interest.

The Sixers would prefer the focus be on their winning four of their last six games. Yet their 22-36 record was fifth worst in the league going into Sunday's games.

Joel Embiid, who's still struggling with left knee soreness, has missed 13 consecutive games and 16 out of 17 after suffering a bone bruise Jan. 20. An MRI exam revealed that he also has a slightly torn meniscus. He expects to return Friday against New York Knicks at the Wells Fargo Center. Meanwhile, Ben Simmons, the first overall pick in the 2016 draft, will miss the entire season because of a Jones fracture in his right foot.

The team also shipped away its best shooter in Ersan Ilyasova and an exceptionable rim-protector in Nerlens Noel before the trade deadline Thursday. And folks rarely talk about Jerryd Bayless' missing all but three games this season with ligament damage in his left wrist.

So there's a possibility that the Sixers could try to win games and still end up with one of the five worst records at season's end. But with so many bad teams, there's a possibility that winning more games will deny them the chance to fill their biggest need in the draft in June.

The draft class is expected to be loaded at the guard and wing positions, with Washington's Markelle Fultz, UCLA's Lonzo Ball, North Carolina State's Dennis Smith Jr., Kentucky's Malik Monk, Duke's Jayson Tatum, Kansas' Josh Jackson, France's Frank Ntilikina, Florida State's Jonathan Isaac, and Kentucky's De'Aaron Fox. So losing games would put the Sixers in a better position to nab one of the guys from the group they covet.

That's not to say that the Sixers don't have any options, assuming they keep winning. The team has the right to swap first-round picks with the Sacramento Kings this season. They'll also get the Los Angeles Lakers' first-rounder if the Lakers don't land in the top three slots at the draft lottery.

It's also good to not have to depend on the Lakers or Kings.

Assume that the Sixers finish with the fifth-worst record. They would be assured of finishing no worse than eighth in the draft lottery. The Sixers would pick no worse than seventh should they have the league's fourth-worst mark. They would select fourth or higher with the worst record.

The Brooklyn Nets (9-49) have the worst record, and it would be the biggest shocker in years if they don't finish with the worst record. The Phoenix Suns (18-41) are next, followed by the Lakers (19-41) and the Orlando Magic (22-38) with the third- and fourth-worst records.

Meanwhile, the Minnesota Timberwolves (23-36), New Orleans Pelicans (23-36), Dallas Mavericks (23-35), New York Knicks (24-35), Portland Trail Blazers (24-33), Kings (25-34) and Charlotte Hornets (25-33) weren't far behind the Sixers heading into Sunday night's games.

As a result, the Sixers could be denied a top-10 pick by going on a tear similar to the one they had in January.

Fultz and Ball will probably be the top two players selected on draft night. Jackson, Tatum, Smith, Ntilikina, Isaac, Fox, and Monk could also hear their names called among the top 10 picks.

So the Sixers are better off securing a top-five pick so they can at least have options. As noted, they'll get the Lakers' pick if it falls out of the top three. The Sixers will also have the right to switch picks with the Kings.

But winning games at this time is not in the Sixers' best interest.

kpompey@phillynews.com

@PompeyOnSixers

www.philly.com/sixersblog