Reports: Celts deal No. 1 pick to 76ers
Had one of the most lopsided trades in sports history never occurred, Markelle Fultz might be headed to the Nets. Instead, it looked for so long that he would go to the Celtics. Now, however, he likely is headed to the 76ers.
Fultz, the consensus No. 1overall pick in the upcoming NBA Draft, worked out Saturday night for the Sixers who, according to multiple reports and league sources, were close to completing a deal with Boston for the top selection, a trade that could be put in place by Monday.
The Sixers would get the No. 1 pick to use on Fultz, the 6-foot-4 guard from Washington, in exchange for Philly’s No. 3 selection plus first-rounders in 2018 (originally a Lakers pick) and another in 2019 (formerly of the Kings), according to The Vertical.
“I really don’t pay a lot of attention to it. I’m blessed enough,” Fultz told reporters at the Sixers practice facility in Camden, N.J. regarding all the trade rumors. “I wake up every morning and get ready to go to the gym. I don’t really pay attention to everything that’s going on. I’m truly blessed to be in this position. Whatever happens, I’m looking forward to taking my talents to wherever I go.”
Fultz, who averaged 23.2 points for Washington, would be the second consecutive No. 1 pick for the Sixers. Last year, the Sixers selected LSU’s Ben Simmons, who missed the entire season with injury. It also would represent the fourth straight year the Sixers had a top 3 pick. In 2014, they selected Joel Embiid. The following year, also selecting third, they took Jahlil Okafor.
In 2013, Boston acquired the No. 1 pick through the Nets’ disastrous draft-night deal that landed aging stars Paul Pierce, Kevin Garnett and Jason Terry in Brooklyn for a package that included three unprotected firstround picks in 2014, 2016 and 2018 plus the right to swap picks this year.
Hey, the Nets won one playoff series with Pierce and Garnett …
The Nets can be forgiven if they close their eyes when the first pick goes off Thursday in their own Barclays Center. The Sixers had eyes wide open Saturday and Embiid was one of the more enthusiastic observers at Fultz’s workout.
Embiid tweeted a picture of himself and 76ers teammate Dario Saric in front of a locker stall bearing a “Markelle Fultz” nameplate. Embiid’s tweet proclaimed “Trust the Process,” the Sixers mantra seemingly for years. Later, Embiid posted a picture of himself, Fultz, Simmons and Robert Covington with the post, “This should be legendary if it happens #TheProcess.”
Fultz, born in Upper Marlboro, Md., a few hours drive from Philadelphia, sounded excited about the prospects.
“It would be pretty cool. Just being with a young team,” Fultz said of the Sixers. “The upside of it would be crazy. I’m close to home, so a lot of my family can come out and just show love.
“Knowing the Draft is a couple of days away, it has been unbelievable,” Fultz said. “It has been a blessing. A dream that I always had. I’m just anxious to get to that day and get it over with.”
Earlier Saturday, the Sixers worked out Kentucky guard De’Aaron Fox, projected to go either No. 4 to Phoenix or No. 5 to Sacramento.
With two picks in the bottom of the first round and tons room for improvement on a league-worst 20-62 mark, the Nets may have to gamble in Thursday’s draft. And one player experts think would make a smart bet for Brooklyn is Anzejs Pasecniks.
Several mock drafts have earmarked Pasecniks to the Nets recently. ESPN international analyst Fran Fraschilla said Kristaps Porzingis’ former Latvian teammate would be the ideal selection for a team like the Nets.
“Pasecniks is one of those guys that’d be perfect for a team with multiple [firstround] picks. Brooklyn’s got multiple picks,” Fraschilla said. “Portland, and maybe even Utah may have multi- ple picks. He’s one of those guys that you could draft [and stash] him. Although he’s 21 and he’s anxious to get over here and start his NBA career.”
Pasecniks was one of Porzingis’ teammates on Latvia’s Under-18 national team, and was considered of similar ability before Porzingis blossomed. While the 21-year-old Pasecniks doesn’t have Porzingis’ rare skill level, he does have a similar game as a mobile big with pick-and-roll prowess and improving range.
Banking on Pasecniks, who averaged 8.0 points and 3.2 rebounds for Gran Canaria in Liga ACB, to fill out his 7-foot-2, 226 pound frame to help his rebounding and post-ups would be a smart gamble for a Nets team that’s going to have to get lucky during this re- building process. General manger Sean Marks can’t afford risks in free agency, but picking No. 22 and 27, he has no choice but to gamble on upside in the draft.
While Indiana’s OG Anunoby and Duke’s Harry Giles will drop because of knee injuries, most mock drafts have them being gone by the time the Nets pick. Fraschilla tabbed Pasecniks, Bam Adebayo of Kentucky and Terrance Ferguson of Australia’s Adelaide 36ers as sleepers outside the top 10, and all three have been linked with Brooklyn in mock drafts.
Pasecniks, who is older than Latvian teen Rodions Kurucs (who pulled himself out of the draft), likely is closer to contributing than many of the internationals on the Nets’ draft radar.