Boston Celtics selecting Markelle Fultz opens door for Philadelphia 76ers

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Jun 23, 2016; New York, NY, USA; A general view of a video board displaying all thirty draft picks in the first round of the 2016 NBA Draft at Barclays Center. Philadelphia 76ers. Mandatory Credit: Jerry Lai-USA TODAY Sports /

When the Boston Celtics select Markelle Fultz with the first pick of the 2017 NBA Draft, they inadvertently open the door for the Philadelphia 76ers.

The Philadelphia 76ers finished the 2016-2017 season with a record of 28-54. Conversely, the Boston Celtics finished the 2016-2017 season with a record of 53-29, good enough to lead the NBA Eastern Conference.

The Philadelphia 76ers played the season without top draft pick Ben Simmons, free agent Jerryd Bayless, with only 31 games from rookie Joel Embiid, 67 games from Robert Covington, 50 games from Jahlil Okafor, 72 games from Gerald Henderson, and 68 games from Sergio Rodriguez. It was a challenging year for the team health wise.

Tale of Two Seasons

But the results were a huge improvement. The team jumped from ten wins to 28 wins despite the decimation to the roster over injuries. The Philadelphia 76ers look to improve dramatically this year, simply from the expectation of fielding a healthier team. But the team hopes to raise the pool of talent in the 2017 NBA Draft as well. At three, the 2017 NBA Draft board will be loaded with talent. And the Philadelphia 76ers can be patient and improve naturally.

The Boston Celtics faced adversity as well. Free agent Al Horford played 68 games and Avery Bradley played just 55 games. The team expects to select versatile guard Markelle Fultz with the first pick of the 2017 NBA Draft. The Celtics had been an annually improving team, but they need a veteran or two to surpass the Cleveland Cavalier death grip on Championship play. The Celtics are a win-now scenario.