Fair Price For Great Fit
In the end, it’s two first round picks. So what protection are there? Good protections indeed! The Philadelphia 76ers surrender this year’s three pick. Then the 76ers give one or the other of the Lakers’ pick or the Kings pick. For the Lakers’ pick to convey, it must fall between from two to five.
That’s a very narrow window, and ensures the Philadelphia 76ers keep the pick if it’s the top pick of the 2018 NBA Draft.
Trade update: 76ers sending Lakers pick in 2018 if it’s 2-5. If not, 2019 Kings pick coming to Boston https://t.co/A807IcKYhy
— CelticsBlog (@celticsblog) June 18, 2017
Why Boston Traded?
In the end, it’s two firsts for Markelle Fultz. And in my mind, that’s a fair price. And that is NOT what Boston fans expected. So why did Danny “Tough Deal” Ainge seem so compliant to part with the top draft pick?
Air Alamo
Simply stated, he didn’t see enough value in Markelle Fultz, and he saw more value in the Philadelphia 76ers offer. Let’s review the timeline. The Fultz private workout for the Celtics did not wow their front office. They have incredible talented guards stacked up in Boston.
76ers Right Team, Right Time
Dismayed by the lukewarm exit, Fultz and his family decided to work out for the number two team, the Los Angeles Lakers. Now Boston was in a pickle. Select Fultz and try to deal after the draft, or get the best deal before the draft and cut off the Lakers.
And so, the Boston Celtics squeezed the most value out of the situation as possible.
The belief was the Philadelphia 76ers would pay a kings ransom. The results appear to be the Philadelphia 76ers paid nothing more than a fee to convert the three to the one. Win Philadelphia 76ers.