Boston Celtics agree to trade top pick to Philadelphia 76ers

The Philadelphia 76ers and Boston Celtics have agreed on a deal that will send the No. 1 overall pick in next Thursday’s Draft to Philly in exchange for the third overall pick and at least one future first-round pick, per a league source.

Acquiring the first pick will allow the Sixers to take University of Washington freshman guard Markelle Fultz, considered by many to be the top point guard prospect in the Draft. Fultz worked out for the 76ers in Philadelphia on Saturday as the two sides got close to agreement on a deal; the 76ers’ agreement was contingent on getting clearance from their medical staff after reviewing Fultz’s physicals and getting other medical information on the 19-year-old.

“I don’t really focus on the rumors,” Fultz stated post-workout. “I count my blessings. I pray each night before I sleep, leaving everything in God’s hands. Each morning, I wake up ready to head to the gym, not bothering about all the noise around me. I consider myself extremely fortunate to be in this position. No matter the outcome, I’m excited about bringing my skills to wherever my journey takes me.”

The third overall pick in Thursday’s Draft will be given to Boston, which provides the Celtics with the opportunity to select from a range of high-quality prospects, should they decide to retain the pick. The available players at number three will include either Josh Jackson, a forward from Kansas, or Lonzo Ball, a point guard from UCLA, as well as other notable talents such as Jayson Tatum, a freshman forward from Duke, De’Aaron Fox, a freshman point guard from Kentucky, and Jonathan Isaac, a freshman forward from Florida State.

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In addition to other assets, the Celtics are set to receive a future first-round pick from Philadelphia, which is currently thought to be the 2018 unprotected first-round pick from the Lakers that the 76ers will receive next year via the Suns. This pick is part of a 2015 three-team deal involving Philadelphia, Milwaukee, and Phoenix. The 76ers secured the 2018 first-round pick from the Suns in a trade that moved Michael Carter-Williams from Philadelphia to Milwaukee, and Brandon Knight from Milwaukee to Phoenix. Originally, the Suns obtained the pick from the Lakers during a 2012 trade that saw Steve Nash transfer to the Lakers.

Boston could potentially have two lottery picks in 2018, with the Celtics already in possession of Brooklyn’s unprotected first-round pick for the following year. They will also receive first-rounders from the Clippers and Memphis in 2019. These picks could be used by the Celtics to acquire an established star player to join their current roster, which includes All-Stars Isaiah Thomas and Al Horford, along with second-year forward Jaylen Brown. The Celtics previously tried to make deals with the Pacers and Bulls for Paul George and Jimmy Butler before the trade deadline in February but were unsuccessful. However, many believe that the Celtics will attempt to acquire Butler again in the off-season. Even if they were to get Butler, Boston would still be able to create enough cap room to make a maximum offer to an unrestricted free agent this summer. The Celtics have also been linked to Utah’s Gordon Hayward and the Clippers’ Blake Griffin for some time.

Should Philly proceed with their plans to recruit Fultz, he would offer the 76ers a significant scoring threat and ballhandler. This could relieve some of the playmaking and decision-making burden from Ben Simmons, who was picked first overall in the previous year’s Draft by the Sixers. Despite missing the whole season due to a foot injury, Simmons is anticipated to commence his rookie season in 2017-18.

Fultz expressed his excitement at the prospect of playing in Philadelphia. “It would be pretty cool to be part of a young team. The potential for growth is immense. Being close to home means my family can easily come to show their support. Plus, the city has great fans,” he said.

Pairing Fultz with Simmons, Joel Embiid and Dario Saric will provide the Sixers with one of the tallest and most talented youthful cores in the league. This comes after enduring many years in the NBA wilderness during the team’s painstakingly slow “Process” overseen by former general manager Sam Hinkie. This strategy essentially involved trying to secure top picks in the Draft by losing as many games as the Philadelphia supporters could tolerate.

Finally, it appears there’s light at the end of the tunnel.

Longtime NBA reporter, columnist and Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Famer David Aldridge is an analyst for TNT. You can e-mail him here, find his archive here and follow him on Twitter.

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