Who could the Sixers draft at No. 22? Here’s our take on projected picks, and other players to watch

The NBA draft is a week away, which also marks the first roster-building benchmark for new 76ers president of basketball operations Mike Gansey.

The Sixers hold the 22nd overall pick, and no selection in the second round. Gansey ran the draft in his last job as general manager of the Cleveland Cavaliers, and will aim to put his imprint on the Sixers’ process with a short timeline since being formally introduced last week. Gansey also said he will be respectful of the preparation the remaining front office staff has already completed, and that has delivered mostly positive results in recent drafts.

ESPN reported Monday that the Sixers will hold prospect workouts this week. Gansey said they will select based on a combination of best player available and positional need, a vague-yet-understandable description.

Who are some possibilities at No. 22? Here is a roundup of the major national mock drafts — often created by analysts whose year-round job is to scout and report on these prospects — along with our thoughts and some other players who could be available in the Sixers’ range.

Yahoo! says: “Finding a center to play behind Joel Embiid needs to be prioritized. Embiid simply cannot be trusted to stay on the floor. Cenac checks every box on paper as a superb athlete who moves like a wing, has the length to alter shots, and shoots from the perimeter. Houston handed him a starting role with national title aspirations and trusted him with heavy minutes. But the Cougars fell short again, in part because Cenac struggled to stay out of foul trouble, couldn’t score efficiently, and was overeager to play on the perimeter despite having the body of a bruiser. He arrived in college with lottery expectations, and he still could become that player in the future. But the NBA team drafting him is taking a project.”

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Bleacher Report says: “The Sixers have to pursue frontcourt depth here if the draft board allows it. Joel Embiid is the living embodiment of the questionable designation, and Andre Drummond is headed into free agency. In a perfect world, though, Philly would find someone who could man the middle in Embiid’s absence and manage to stay on the floor in some double-big looks. Cenac offers that kind of flexibility, or rather he would if he could further his development. He can get a little too perimeter-happy, but the tools are there: good length and hops, great mobility, some shooting touch and finishing force.”

Inquirer says: Focusing on frontcourt help — either at center or power forward, given Paul George’s unpredictable availability — makes obvious sense. That Cenac struggled to stay out of foul trouble might make Sixers supporters wince, given Adem Bona has been in the same predicament throughout his two-year NBA career. But Cenac’s mobility and potential versatility — and he was coached hard by Kelvin Sampson in a high-profile program — are intriguing.

ESPN says: “Despite the combine not going all that well for him, Swain appears to be firmly in the first round, as the lack of wings with a variety of tools in the middle tier of the draft works in his favor. There are still questions around his shooting, but teams view his ability to get downhill and solid defensive upside as worth the long-term investment. After bringing in the new president of basketball operations, Mike Gansey from Cleveland, to head the front office, the 76ers are still relatively early in their decision-making process and will begin bringing in players for workouts this week. Finding an immediate contributor at this spot would be a win, with much of Philadelphia’s salary structure tied up in Joel Embiid and Paul George, and cultivating depth behind them is likely a priority.”

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Inquirer says: This pick would make sense if the Sixers are worried about losing Kelly Oubre Jr. and/or Quentin Grimes in free agency. That the 6-foot-8 Swain still needs to develop as a shooter is a concern for a Sixers team that struggled from three-point range, but the downhill attacking and defensive playmaking would fit right in with dynamic guards Tyrese Maxey and VJ Edgecombe. Other mock drafts have Swain as a lottery pick, so this could be a steal at 22.

The Ringer says: “There’s an argument to be made that the 6-foot-9, 240-pound Jefferson is the best passer in the entire class, regardless of position. (Just ask his Iowa State teammate Milan Momcilovic, whose 10 percentage point jump in 3-pointers was partly a byproduct of playing with Jefferson.) To me, a Jefferson-Philly pairing would be a match made in heaven: His long track record of setting up perimeter scorers fits perfectly with the Sixers’ two incendiary scoring guards. While I do think that he’ll compress into a smaller role than the one he enjoyed at Iowa State, Jefferson’s also no slouch as a scorer himself, and his deflection-heavy defensive approach would feed right into their overall speed advantage.”

Inquirer says: Though Jefferson’s age (22) likely lowers his ultimate ceiling, he feels like a plug-and-play depth guy with an immediately transferable skill as an offensive connector. An interesting tidbit: The Ringer’s draft guide compares Jefferson to current Sixer Trendon Watford, along with Collin Murray-Boyles, the Toronto Raptors’ standout rookie.

The Athletic says: “Sources around the league are still trying to figure out what new head of basketball operations Mike Gansey’s type will be. So this pick might just be me wish-casting a bit, but I can’t imagine a better fit for both Peat and an organization. With Joel Embiid playing more consistently on the perimeter now, Peat could use his athleticism and strength to crash along the baseline and make smart plays while also providing tough defensive energy. The 76ers desperately need a four with some power to his game, and Peat brings that in a big way. I have Peat higher than this on my personal board, but sources across the league are unsure where he slots into the class.”

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CBS says: “Peat is higher than this on the CBS Big Board, but his glaring lack of shooting is going to require a specific fit. The Sixers lack a long-term solution at the four, can get their floor-spacing from Embiid’s face-up skill set, and could benefit from Peat’s strength, physicality, intangibles, winning pedigree, and ability to get downhill.”

Inquirer says: Again, the lack of shooting is an eyebrow-raiser if added to a Sixers team that was not good enough from beyond the arc. But Peat’s rugged style at a position of need could be a nice complementary fit.

ESPN had Graves mocked to the Sixers before Monday. He is an “analytics darling” who did not even start for his college team but has become a fast-rising prospect. At 6-8 and 225 pounds, Graves is not a supreme athlete. But he boasts a terrific feel for the game that shows up in his passing, rebounding and defensive playmaking, along with underrated qualities such as great hands and screening ability.

Another big man option, CBS had Reed mocked to the Sixers before Monday. He is a more traditional center in stature and as a rebounder, rim protector and inside finisher. He also performed well on the biggest stage during UConn’s March Madness run to the national title game.

The 6-9, 255-pound big man had lottery potential before knee surgery limited him to four games at Kentucky after transferring from Arizona State. When healthy, Quaintance was a dominant shot blocker and mobile defender, but still had a long way to go on the offensive end. Can the Sixers risk drafting another big man with health concerns? Or is that a gamble worth taking at this point in the draft, especially on a player who has not yet turned 19?

The Sixers should perhaps consider Steinbach for one reason alone: He led Division I basketball in rebounding last season. At 6-foot-11 and 250 pounds, Steinbach also has potential to become a floor-spacing big man.

» READ MORE: The Mike Gansey era has begun. Where do the Sixers go from here?

Notice a trend here? Veesaar boasts skills and versatility as a long-range shooter and pick-and-roll player, but needs a lot of work as a defensive presence. The lanky 7-foot, 225-pounder trained overseas before coming to the States, and began his college career at Arizona.

Johnson was the high-motor, do-the-little-things spark of Michigan’s national title team. Though he is not a polished offensive player, he tested excellently at last month’s combine and is a physical and versatile defender.