Sixers Get a Steal in LSU Forward in 2022 NBA Mock Draft

Before joining the Philadelphia 76ers’ front office two offseasons ago, Sixers President of Basketball Operations Daryl Morey was known to sell off draft picks to acquire veterans that could help the Houston Rockets compete right away.

In Philly, Morey changed his approach. With the Sixers possessing the 21st overall selection of the 2020 NBA Draft, Morey and the front office selected Kentucky’s Tyrese Maxey, who went from being a projected lottery pick to sliding down the draft board.

The following year, Morey and the Sixers held onto the 28th pick of the 2021 NBA Draft to pick up the young former Tennessee standout, Jaden Springer. Now, the Sixers enter the 2022 NBA Draft with their pick available to them after the Brooklyn Nets deferred the selection.

Therefore, the Sixers will choose in the early 20s once again as they’re expected to go on the clock at No. 23 overall. In Sports Illustrated’s own Jeremy Woo’s latest mock draft, the 76ers snag themselves another potential draft night slider by grabbing the LSU forward, Tari Eason.

“Considering Daryl Morey’s historical distaste for using draft picks, it wouldn’t be shocking to see Philly try and flip this one. That said, Eason would be a pretty interesting option here, considering his analytics-friendly production and his potential fit as a big, rangy defender. Eason is a bit of a work in progress despite already being 21, and he’s an acquired taste amongst teams, but this could be a sensible landing spot. Eason’s basketball IQ is a bit suspect, and he’s foul-prone and an average shooter, but if he can iron those things out he should be able to help a team.”

Eason is a 21-year-old forward who played his High School hoops in Washington. After graduating, he went off to play in 23 games with Cincinnati. After his freshman season, Eason transferred to LSU and appeared in 33 games, 29 of which he came off the bench.

Despite not starting for the Tigers, Eason averaged nearly 25 minutes during his sophomore effort. He put up 16 points per game and came down with 6.6 rebounds per game. He made 52-percent of his shots from the field and knocked down 35-percent of his threes.

Many scouts and analysts potentially project Eason to be selected in the lottery. However, the SEC Sixth-Man of the Year could end up in a situation similar to Maxey and dropping to the early 20s where the Sixers could scoop him up and land themselves a possible steal once again.

Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.

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