The Sixers have shown that losing on purpose and catching a good pick in the draft is the path to rebuilding. These 5 franchises could follow in their footsteps.

The Sixers demonstrated the benefits of tanking last season. After half a decade doing it, they put together several top-3 draft (Joel Embiid, Ben Simmons, Jahlil Okafor, Markelle Fultz ...) to reach 50 wins for the first time since the 2000-01 season. In this, five franchises (for Sport Illustrated) look like they will let go to catch something big in the draft.

Atlanta Hawks

You can see them in the league. Despite the outlook in the East, they do not have enough assets to fight for anything. Another clue, they sent Dennis Schröder, their best scorer (19.4 points per game) to Oklahoma City Thunder. The trio Kent Bazemore, John Collins and Taurean Prince look good, but in the best of cases they will be rotation players. The Hawks look at the draft, in which they possibly get one of the first five elections. Candidates to the first?

Brooklyn Nets

The next season will be the first year since 2013 in which the Nets could be incentivized to lose. That year they signed a bad deal with the Celtics, which allowed them a couple of appearances in the playoffs, but has turned them into a team that has overcome the last three seasons the 50 losses. Although tankering in Brooklyn is not a very popular strategy, when winter and losses accumulate, the option to choose something fat in the draft could weigh more than the goal they have set: 36 miserable victories. In addition, he has money to sign in the market and a Top-5 draft will be more attractive to players.

Phoenix Suns

The arrival of DeAndre Ayton (number 1 of the draft) and the addition of Trevor Ariza will not improve much the options of the Texas franchise. Only a miracle would prevent the Suns from being among the worst teams in the NBA next season. Aaron Booker renewed until 2024 and the Suns must focus on surrounding him with a group of talented young players. The season itself can help you to know what Dragan Bender is (Mark Chriss was transferred to the Rockets this Friday). Phoenix will have a young team (seven players are 22 years old or younger) and goes straight to 50 losses, but in a couple of years - and with the help of the draft - it can become an interesting project.

Cleveland Cavaliers

The departure of LeBron James should have accelerated the destruction of these Cavaliers, but the franchise trusted Kevin Love (four years) and with his stay, the Cavs can fight to be in the playoff, although it will not be easy either. Except for Love, the Cavs do not have more stars: they are nourished by veterans and young people, who are still a mystery. Will they explode? They will not? The best way for Cleveland to dominate the East again is to copy his long-lost formula, which brought Kyrie Irving to the team.

New York Knicks

The future of the Knicks next season is on the knee of Kristaps Porzingis. The Latvian still has no date of return and the options of the New York franchise depend on his return: if he does it before Christmas, the Knicks could focus on reaching the playoffs, but if the recovery lasts until February or March ... Surely David Fizdale wants to make a good impression, but to see how things are going when Porzingis is ready. The Knicks rub their hands with the next market (Irving, Butler ...) and the arrival of an all star (or two) along with a Top-5 of the draft could be the best way to be reborn.