The Philadelphia 76ers used the 50th overall pick on 22-year old, 6’9″, 225 pound power forward Lavoy Allen out of Temple.  Allen played in 33 games for Temple last year and he averaged 33.9 minutes, 11.6 points, 8.6 rebounds, 2.3 assists and 1.8 blocked shots per game.  Allen played in 135 games in his four years in college and he averaged 32.2 minutes, 10.5 points, 8.5 rebounds, 2.1 assists and 1.6 blocked shots per game.  The Sixers didn’t have to look too far for Allen as he has been playing right here in Philly the last four years.

The 76ers picked 20-year old center Nikola Vucevic with the 16th overall pick in the 2011 NBA Draft last night.  Vucevic is a legit center at 6’10″, 260 pounds and that’s just what the Sixers need.  Vucevic played in 34 games at USC last year and he averaged 34.9 minutes, 17.1 points, 10.3 rebounds, 1.6 assists and 1.4 blocked shots per game.  He played in 87 games in his three years in college and he averaged 27.7 minutes, 11.1 points, 8.0 rebounds, 1.1 assists and 1.1 blocked shots per game.  This was a great pick for the Sixers.

The 76ers own the #16 and #50 picks in Thursday’s NBA Draft.  The Sixers need a legit center but they aren’t likely going to find one with the #16 overall pick.  That means the choice with likely come between a power forward like Kenneth Faried or a shooting guard like Travis Leslie, Josh Selby or Marshon Brooks.  The Sixers will likely take the best big man available with the #50 overall pick.

The Philadelphia 76ers have six free agents heading into this summer but they probably are only interested in bringing two of them back.  Forward Thaddeus Young is a restricted free agent and the 76ers are going to have to pay up big time to keep him.  He’s going to get a good offer from a team that will want him to start for them.  Center Spencer Hawes is no the prototype center, but the Sixers can do worse than bringing him back.  They probably are interested in bringing him back but only at the right price.  I can see the 76ers letting backup players Antonio Daniels (PG), Tony Battie (C), Jason Kapono (SG/SF) and Darius Songaila (PF) walk away.