76ers acquire No. 1 pick from Celtics to draft Markelle Fultz
The Philadelphia 76ers have agreed to a deal with the Boston Celtics to acquire the No. 1 overall pick in the NBA draft, clearing the way to select Washington point guard Markelle Fultz.
The teams finalized the trade with the league office on Monday.
Philadelphia sent Boston the No. 3 overall pick in Thursday’s draft and the 2018 first-round pick that the Los Angeles Lakers owe the Sixers. The Celtics will receive the Lakers’ pick in 2018 if it falls between Nos. 2-5.
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If that pick doesn’t convey to the Celtics, the Sixers will send a 2019 first-round pick via the Sacramento Kings to Boston.
Fultz traveled to Philadelphia for a workout and meeting with the Sixers on Saturday, a visit Fultz’s camp wouldn’t have likely allowed unless there was a promise of a deal between Boston and Philadelphia. The Lakers were interested in getting a deal to secure the No. 1 pick to take Fultz, league sources said, but didn’t have the depth of assets that Philadelphia possessed.
If the Lakers take guard Lonzo Ball with the No. 2 overall pick on Thursday, the Celtics are choosing between Duke’s Jayson Tatum and Kansas’ Josh Jackson, league sources said. That’s assuming, of course, that the Celtics will keep the No. 3 pick and aren’t done dealing.
Fultz separated himself as an athletic, scoring playmaker whom multiple teams believe has superstar potential. Fultz, 19, played one season at the University of Washington, where he averaged 23.3 points, 5.9 assists and 5.7 rebounds and shot 41.3 percent from 3-point range.
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