Draft is next up during NBA’s dizzying days of deals
NEW YORK: Markelle Fultz is ready for the NBA draft. He has already learned about life at the trade deadline.
During a dizzying few days of deals around the NBA, the presumed No. 1 pick had his Saturday plans — not to mention his future destination — change when the Philadelphia 76ers brought him in for a workout. They then completed a trade with the Boston Celtics and are expected to take the Washington guard to begin the action Thursday night.
And if the last few days are any indication, what follows might be a wild night inside Barclays Center.
“It’s been a little crazy last couple days,” Duke forward Jayson Tatum said Wednesday.
Teams seem to have one eye on the draft and future stars like Fultz and Lonzo Ball, while the other is firmly focused on jockeying for proven veterans. Former and future No. 1 picks have already been dealt this week in what feels like the trade deadline, free agency and draft all rolled into one frenzy.
“It just shows you what the NBA is about. I mean, you can get traded in the blink of an eye, without knowing,” Fultz said. “It just shows you how this business is and like I said, I just go with the flow. I’ve got an opportunity to play basketball and that’s all I ask for.”
Though Fultz heads what is widely regarded as a strong draft class, the young stars have had to share the spotlight this week with veterans who are — or could be — on the move. All-Stars and Olympic champions such as Paul George and Jimmy Butler are front and center in trade talk that usually is not this heavy until February. Dwight Howard was dealt and D’Angelo Russell — who just two years ago was on the same stage the players will walk Thursday as the No. 2 pick — was dealt by the Los Angeles Lakers, presumably to clear the point guard spot for Ball and salary cap space for the future.
Things are expected to settle down a bit for at least the first two picks. The 76ers, selecting first for the second straight year, should take Fultz before Magic Johnson takes Ball with the Lakers again in the No. 2 spot, which is exactly what the UCLA guard and his father, LaVar, want.
“It would mean a lot to play for my hometown and learn from the best point guard ever,” Ball said.
From there it could be Tatum, Josh Jackson of Kansas, Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox or some other player in the mix at No. 3, where the Celtics will now pick after the deal with the 76ers. Celtics President Danny Ainge said after making the trade he thought he could get the player he wanted two spots lower.
“It’s a very loaded class and I feel like especially whichever guys go at the top four, five, there may not be that much separation between (them) because everybody’s just so talented,” Tatum said.
Many of them, as usual lately, are freshmen. A record 14 were taken in the first round of last year’s draft and that number should be threatened Thursday. The Sacramento Kings have two top-10 picks, while NBA champion Golden State and runner-up Cleveland have none in the first round.