Philadelphia, Boston draft-pick deal complete

History will say the Boston Celtics passed on the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s NBA draft, not only trading it away but doing so in a deal with one of the team’s fiercest rivals. Danny Ainge isn’t worried.

Philadelphia and Boston completed their trade of draft picks with the 76ers acquiring the No. 1 pick from the Celtics and netting the chance to draft Washington guard Markelle Fultz.

The Celtics moved down two spots to No. 3 and picked up another first-round selection in either 2018 or 2019 — with Ainge saying the deal came at no cost to Boston.

“We’re getting the player we want. They’re getting the player they want,” said Ainge, the Celtics’ president of basketball operations. “And we’re getting an additional player that we want in next year’s draft or the year after. It’s a good deal for both teams.”

Philadelphia wouldn’t say it, but they’re going to take Fultz barring something cataclysmic happening before Thursday.

“We felt like the move from 3 to 1 was worth the cost of a first-round pick in the future,” 76ers president of basketball operations Bryan Colangelo said.

Bucks

Milwaukee’s weekslong search for a new general manager wasn’t easy. There were a half-dozen interviews and three finalists before the team arrived at Jon Horst, its director of basketball operations, and swiftly moved to elevate him to GM. Coowner Wes Edens was excited that he and the team’s other two primary owners, Marc Lasry and Jamie Dinan, selected the right candidate. “It is about winning championships, that’s what this is all about, and we feel like we made a real step in the right direction here with Jon,” Edens said.

Warriors

Coach Steve Kerr will have time over the coming weeks to explore medical options that could alleviate the symptoms he still experiences nearly two years after a spinal fluid leak from back surgery. General manager Bob Myers says Kerr will have time off as needed to find more options to better his long-term health.

Clippers

Hall of Famer Jerry West, fresh off helping the Golden State win another championship, is now officially a consultant with the Los Angeles Clippers. West was formally introduced at a news conference Monday.