Bryan Colangelo may be looking to make his mark on The Process

With the Philadelphia 76ers reportedly in deep talks with the Boston Celtics for the top overall pick, this could signal Bryan Colangelo’s attempt to take control of The Process.

Rumors have quickly turned into a firestorm of legitimacy in regards to the Philadelphia 76ers and a potential trade, with the Boston Celtics emerging as the surprise target. With Marc Stein, Zach Lowe and Adrian Wojnarowski all reporting on the issue, the Celtics could be looking to move back for a package that includes multiple picks from the Sixers — all in return for the number one overall pick.

Wojnarowksi follwed Stein and Lowe’s report with a series of his oft-lauded Woj Bombs, stating that talks are far enough along that Markelle Fultz could be heading to Philadelphia for a meeting on Saturday.

While there’s a lot to take in here, the nature of the deal is most peculiar. Trading up for Fultz is a fine idea, and something the Sixers should be pursuing if it’s at all possible. With the draft’s most polished offensive arsenal, Fultz scores well at all three levels, while his playmaking out of the pick-and-roll and shooting off the ball were both viable weapons during his yearlong stint with Washington.

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He gives the Sixers somebody who can command the backcourt from day one, all while thriving alongside Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid. Brett Brown’s offense is predicated on movement and actions that could free up Fultz as a scorer while putting him into plenty of back-and-forth plays with Embiid — whether it be while handling around screens or in dribble handoffs.

He’s the undisputed top prospect in this year’s class and the best point guard prospect since Kyrie Irving. There’s plenty to like.

But this also isn’t something we’ve seen from this Sixers squad in years past. Not from Sam Hinkie, at least. They’ve never been a trade-up type of team. Rather than going all-in on one asset, Philadelphia has been looking to accumulate assets in bulk — opting for long term potential rather than immediate satisfaction.

And while there’s undoubtedly long term potential in Fultz, they’re likely parting with a handful a future picks — as well as the third overall pick — to get into position to take the 19-year-old. This could be the Sixers’ last push towards to contention. It could be Bryan Colangelo’s last push to overtake The Process.

Colangelo’s goal since entering the organization has always been to increase the quality of the product on the floor. He promised a more clear path forward, while his plans mainly evolved around placing the team into a better position to win. With both Embiid and Simmons presumably healthy entering next season, they’ll be in good positioning to do so.

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And that’s where his idealism behind trading up could lie. Fultz gives them a ready-made point guard who fits the system, all while assuring they have three top flight prospects moving forward. Rather than risking anything on further development and future odds, he may be attempting to finish off the Sixers’ core this offseason.

If the team does draft Fultz, that still leaves an offseason acquisition of Kyle Lowry’s ilk within the realm of possibility. Fultz is long enough and skilled enough to play two-guard, meaning they could charge well into the Playoff picture with both a veteran at the helm and a trio of upper echelon prospects.

They may be jeopardizing future talent accumulation, but they’re putting stock into a strong foundation now. There’s no certainty that this deal will get done — much less any sense of vindication on either side of The Process-torn battlegrounds in Sixers fandom. There are multiple perspectives to take, and plenty of angles from which to attack the issue.

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If this trade goes through, though, this could mark this end of The Process as we know it. Bryan Colangelo would be wholly responsible for not only for their draft placement, but their future plans to build around his newfound core piece. That added responsibility — his new sense of ownership over the situation — could signal the real beginning of Colangelo’s era as GM.