It’s official.
The 76ers’ blockbuster trade with the Boston Celtics was finalized on Monday. As a result, the Sixers are three days away from selecting Washington point guard Markelle Fultz first overall in the NBA draft.
The Celtics sent that pick to the Sixers for the No. 3 pick and protected 2018 Los Angeles Lakers first-rounder, which the Sixers possessed. The Celtics will get the pick if it falls in slots 2-5 in next summer’s NBA draft lottery. If it doesn’t convey, Boston will receive either Sacramento Kings’ or Sixers’ first-round pick in 2019; the Celtics would take whichever one is more favorable. But if either of those picks become the first overall, the Celtics will receive the other pick.
“We are very pleased with the outcome of this trade, which puts us in the enviable position of selecting first overall in consecutive draft years,” Sixers president of basketball operation Bryan Colangelo said in a press release. “History suggests that No. 1 has the greatest odds of producing franchise-level talent, and we are confident that this year’s draft class has that very potential. Thursday night will see us take another significant step toward building a successful and sustainable basketball program.”
Fultz worked out for the Sixers on Saturday night. It’s no secret that the love affair the team has with him is mutual. He posted on his Instagram page a Philly.com photo of him walking into the Sixers practice facility wearing a team cap Saturday night. He wrote “Be Ready ……. #F2G.”
California guard Jabari Bird, who worked out for the Sixers on Monday, thinks Fultz will stand out on the next level.
“I think he’s super talented,” said Bird, who played against Fultz in a Pac-12 game this past season. “He’s super explosive. He’s super talented. He’s super explosive. He can shoot. When I played him, I thought he could do everything offensive.
“He’s so young. I think he’s a special talent.”
The 19-year-old made 41.3 percent of his shots from the college 3-point line. Finding a shooter with his 3-point ability and ability to play off the ball was a priority for the Sixers.
