Philadelphia in the market for franchise players

PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Philadelphia 76ers coach Brett Brown had an A-list comparison for 1-B first-round pick Zhaire Smith: Disgruntled San Antonio forward Kawhi Leonard.

"I think that when you look at just where I believe Zhaire can be, there are some common denominators that Kawhi had when we first brought him to San Antonio," Brown said.

High praise for the Texas Tech guard. But why settle for a rookie who may never develop into a franchise player when the Sixers can try and aquire the real deal?

The 76ers are open for business this summer and an organization that has long preached patience is now in the market for marquee talent to team with blossoming stars Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons.

"We are star hunting or star developing," Brown said Friday. "You're not going to win a championship any other way."

Brown hit on the "star hunter" phrase at Thursday's draft and again when he introduced Smith, acquired from Phoenix in a swap of first-rounders, and Wichita State guard Landry Shamet at the team's New Jersey headquarters.

Brown had called Smith the team's 1-B choice in the draft after they traded their 1-A pick, Villanova forward Mikal Bridges, to the Suns in a trade that also saw the Sixers net an unprotected first-rounder in 2021.

Sure, the Sixers could keep that pick until '21 when draft rules are expected to change in time for high school graduates to again be eligible. But the real perk of the pick is the ability to dangle it as trade bait as the Sixers hunt in the rarefied air of NBA stars.

"It's a tiny number of players," Brown said. "As we figure out who we deem to be stars, we understand that's going to be a challenge. We also understand we don't have to solve all this now."

Meaning, the 2019 free-agent crop sure looks good, too.

Brown is calling the shots in the front office as the Sixers look for a new general manager in the wake of Bryan Colangelo's resignation.

Brown made the final decisions on draft night and — though he said he has no desire to balance dual roles — he'll be the face of the franchise with plenty to offer in talent; success (52 wins; playoff series win); a first-class training facility; and at least $26 million in salary cap space.

The Sixers are also dealing with a wild card in Markelle Fultz, the No. 1 pick in last year's draft whose rookie season was slowed by shoulder and mental issues that resulted in a broken shot and no playing time in Philadelphia's last seven playoff games.

Fultz has been working with noted skills coach Drew Hanlen on rebuilding his mechanics. Fultz will likely skip summer league as he works on his jumper and tries to join Embiid and Simmons to form a trio of homegrown talent capable of making the Sixers contenders in the East.