Celtics, Sixers take leaps of faith in trade
It has been twoplus decades since a team with the No. 1 pick traded it before the NBA draft. But the Boston Celtics are doing it. They reached a deal in principle that will send the No. 1 pick in Thursday’s draft to the Philadelphia 76ers for the No. 3 pick and a future first-rounder.
The Sixers plan to take Washington guard Markelle Fultz, but it is not known what the Celtics will do with No. 3. Kentucky’s De’Aaron Fox, Kansas’ Josh Jackson, Duke’s Jayson Tatum and North Carolina State’s Dennis Smith are viable options.
In 1993, the Orlando Magic traded the No. 1 pick to the Golden State Warriors for the No. 3
pick and three future first-rounders. The Warriors took Chris Webber, and the Magic selected Penny Hardaway. Orlando reached the NBA Finals in 1995 and the Eastern Conference finals in 1996 but never won a title. What this deal means for the Celtics
Boston president of basketball operations Danny Ainge took a risk. If Fultz turns out to be a generational player a la Golden State’s Stephen Curry, this deal will not look good for Ainge. But Ainge doesn’t believe that will happen, or he wouldn’t have made the trade.
Ainge must think he can get a similar talent at No. 3 and was willing to take that gamble. Plus, Ainge stockpiled another firstround pick, giving Boston the No. 3 pick this year; two firstrounders in 2018 (own pick, the Brooklyn Nets’ picks) and a possible third first-rounder from the Los Angeles Lakers; at least one and possibly three first-rounders in 2019 (own pick and protected picks from the Memphis Grizzlies and Sacramento Kings).
The trade also frees more salary cap space for the Celtics to use on a maximum salary player in free agency, which starts in July. The difference in salary between the first pick and third pick is $1.4 million, and every dollar matters if Boston is trying to land a player such as the Utah Jazz’s Gordon Hayward or the Los Angeles Clippers’ Blake Griffin. What this deal means for the Sixers
If the Sixers are right that Fultz will be that franchise-altering player, the trade is a no-brainer. The Sixers gave up just one draft pick to move up two spots.
The Sixers will have a young core with 2016-17 rookie of the year candidates Joel Embiid and Dario Saric; 2016 No. 1 pick Ben Simmons, who didn’t play last season because of an injury; and Fultz. There’s a lot of potential in that group, but it will take time for them to develop into an Eastern Conference contender.
While Fultz and Simmons are point guards, the Sixers think they can co-exist — specifically playing Fultz off the ball at shoot- ing guard, allowing Simmons to take advantage of court vision and passing skills and allowing Fultz to showcase his scoring while not running the offense.
Also, don’t be surprised if this isn’t the end of the Sixers’ significant offseason deals.