NBA Draft 2011: How Andre Iguodala Trade Rumors Affect Philadelphia 76ers' Draft

The Philadelphia 76ers were one of the biggest surprises in the NBA last season, going 41-41 in their first year under new head coach Doug Collins. The season before, the Sixers were 27-55, and had no real direction until the management fired Eddie Jordan and brought in Collins.

Now that the team is heading in the right direction, the Sixers are looking to clear the players out of town that don’t fit into the system that they are trying to run. The biggest name not to fit their schemes would be small forward Andre Iguodala.

Rumors have Philadelphia trading Iguodala to the Los Angeles Lakers or the Minnesota Timberwolves, but there is no concrete evidence that any of these deals will come to fruition.

With all of the talk around the trade speculation, the idea of the Sixers picking at No. 16 is being lost. The Sixers have had internal discussions about trading up in the draft, but at this point, they are sticking at their spot.

If no moves happen before the actual draft kicks off tonight, the Sixers will most likely be looking to a foreign-born big man to shore up the defense. A few experts believe that it could be USC forward Nikola Vucevic.

Sixers’ Insider Dei Lynam told Comcast Sportsnet:

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"Vucevic played three years at USC. As a junior he averaged eight points and two rebounds, but he can make shots. Vucevic came to Philadelphia with the first workout group, and sometimes those names are forgotten because they were in early, but I am told the Sixers like this prospect."

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Vucevic is a long-term project, and he can't be expected to be more than a role player and a minutes-eater while he develops. This pick should prove to the Sixers that they have to make a move for bona-fide talent in this weak draft for them to contend anytime soon.

If the Sixers could package Iguodala and the No. 16 pick in the draft and ship them to Minnesota for the No. 2 overall pick, they would walk out of the draft winners.

Arizona power forward Derrick Williams could be the most talented offensive player in the draft, and if Philadelphia sneaks up to No. 2, they would snatch Williams in a heart beat.

Whatever the Sixers do, expect to hear Andre Iguodala’s name being thrown around until he is traded. Whether he actually gets traded or not is still a mystery, though.

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