2015 NBA Draft: How Each Of The Top Prospects Fit With The Philadelphia 76ers

Jan 31, 2015; Charlottesville, VA, USA; Duke Blue Devils forward Justise Winslow (12) shoots the ball as Virginia Cavaliers forward Isaiah Wilkins (21) defends in the first half at John Paul Jones Arena. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

Justise Winslow

Age: 19

Height: 6’6″

Weight: 221

Of all the prospects in the NBA Draft this year, Winslow may be the most NBA-ready. And on a team loaded with unfinished projects, Winslow would provide a sense a stability and a concrete set of skills that the 76ers can count on most nights.

Among the variety of pro-ready traits he possesses, Winslow’s athleticism and strong defense seem to be the most appealing — well, for the time being at least. Winslow would seem to be an improvement on the defensive end over breakout swingman Robert Covington, who posted a defensive rating of 104 last season, playing small forward and shooting guard, as a bit of a “tweener” at 6’9″ and 215 pounds. At Duke, Winslow averaged 1.3 steals per game, while also using his strong frame to pull down 6.5 rebounds per contest.

Despite Winslow’s projected superiority over Covington on the defensive end, there may not be much ground separating the two when it comes to how much they can contribute offensively next season. Last season, Covington was a bright spot in an otherwise putrid 76ers offense, as he averaged 13.5 points per game and shot 37.4 percent from downtown. With Winslow primarily being a someone who finishes at the rim or spots up at the 3-point line, having them both on the roster seems superfluous, considering they basically do the same thing at this stage in their careers, even though Winslow is a far more capable athlete.

Although Winslow’s offensive game is limited right now, he has shown flashes of brilliance in terms of creating space on the way to the rim and finishing in the open floor, which means he could develop into a crafty player on the wing capable of getting buckets for himself.

While Winslow is an exceptional talent already, and may develop into a special player someday, he doesn’t necessarily fill a void for the 76ers who already have Covington, in addition to versatile forward Dario Saric, who looks like he will be in Philadelphia soon. For the 76ers, who are sitting at No. 3, they should take a look at Winslow, but ultimately say: “Thanks, but no thanks.”

Next: Mario Hezonja