Philadelphia 76ers Gamble on Upside at No. 15 with Moe Harkless

The Philadelphia 76ers continue to add to their stable of talented wings, selecting Moe Harkless with the No. 15 pick in the 2012 NBA draft.

Harkless presents plenty of upside, coming out of college after his freshman season at St. John's. He's a long and athletic swingman who runs the floor well and finishes around the rim. 

At a lightweight 6'9", he's a bit of a tweener in the mold of current Sixer Thaddeus Young. Assuming he plays at the 3 in the pros, Harkless will be an excellent rebounder and shot blocker for his position.

Philly has a ton of swingmen now all needing minutes. It's difficult to see Harkless getting much playing time with Young, Andre Iguodala and Evan Turner all ahead of him on the depth chart.

Perhaps this is the preliminary phase of the 76ers' plan to trade Iguodala to fill needs at other positions. If so, Harkless may be an excellent long-term project as the team's small forward of the future.

The 76ers have shown that they are an organization capable of fostering young talent. The Harkless pick is simply an extension of the team's philosophy. If he pans out, Philly may have gotten one of the biggest values in this draft.