What’s In It For Boston?
Let’s start off by comparing the value of the third pick to the first pick in this NBA draft. Many years, the NBA draft is set at the top two picks and a category of “all others”. But the 2017 NBA Draft, while it does not have many things, certainly has no shortage of depth in this draft. And so, the search for adequate compensation begins with the exchange of two draft picks.
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Per FanSided’s Nick Restifo, the Celtics pick has a relative value of 7.78 and the 76ers pick has a relative value of 6.82. That’s due to the NBA trade exchange using the “smoothed value”. The difference of .96 can be further reduced by tossing in one of the four second round picks. For that purpose, the teams need to agree on which picks. If the 76ers toss in the 46th pick and take Boston’s 56th pick in return, that adds .27 more to Boston’s share of the pot. What remains is a relative value of .7, or the equivalent of a second round draft pick.
Markelle Is Tradeable Currency For Boston, and not just for NBA All Star
Does Boston want to deal? Yes yes yes, the arguments of “no way, Markelle Fultz is a franchise changing talent in the NBA!” are already ringing in my ear. But at the third pick of this NBA draft, the Celtics truly lose the opportunity for two players out of the entire class of 2017. At this point, many NBA teams are falling in love with Kansas star Josh Jackson
Multiple teams have fallen in love w/Josh Jackson. Is perhaps highest upside player in this draft and has a legit shot to go first overall.
— Jordan Schultz (@Schultz_Report) May 19, 2017
Is Boston one of them? Well, the team is loaded in the back court, and needs front court help. How do they view the play of Jackson?