Philadelphia 76ers may have had a chance at Lonzo Ball prior to the trade

Danny Ainge’s recent comments on the Boston Celtics’ decision to trade the first overall pick to the Philadelphia 76ers make it seem likely that Lonzo Ball would have fallen to three.

It’s odd to think that the Philadelphia 76ers‘ decision to trade up for the first overall pick may have limited the craziness in this year’s draft. Not only did the Sixers reportedly turn down a potential Jimmy Butler trade in favor of moving up, but it appears as if Philadelphia would have had the opportunity to draft Lonzo Ball third if they had stayed put.

Philadelphia 76ers /

Philadelphia 76ers

After finalizing the trade, Danny Ainge held a conference call with reporters in an effort to clarify his motives behind the trade. While many had dubbed Markelle Fultz the prohibitive favorite throughout the pre-draft process, the Ainge made a rather interesting remark during the earlier stages of the call:

"“We think there’s a really good chance the player we’ll take at [No.] 3 is the same player we would have taken at [No.] 1. So this was a great opportunity to acquire an impactful asset.” (via Deadspin)"

That not only rules out Fultz, but could have ruled out Ball as well. The Celtics have held workouts for both Jayson Tatum and Josh Jackson this week, while Ball has been steadfast in his efforts to only work out with the Lakers. Fultz also worked out with the Lakers a couple days prior to the trade, meaning the Celtics had likely notified him that they weren’t sold on him at number one.

Magic Johnson reportedly came away from that workout enamored with Fultz’s game, meaning he would have likely favored the Washington product over Ball should he have fallen to two. That would have left one of the most polarizing draft figures in recent memory readily available for a Sixers team who fits his game supremely well.

Whether or not the Sixers would have selected Ball isn’t certain, but it feels as if he’d be the sizable favorite. Most circles have viewed him as an undisputed top three talent throughout the pre-draft process, while his combination of visionary playmaking and strong spot-up shooting is an ideal match alongside Ben Simmons on the perimeter.

Philadelphia would have to wade through the LaVar Ball minefield in order to judge the risk behind such a public figurehead joining the outskirts of the organization, but Ball’s talent would have likely been enough to sway Bryan Colangelo and company in his favor.

The optics behind boasting Ball, rather than Fultz, would have been a monumental difference for a Sixers team that’s rapidly constructing one of the league’s better young cultures around Joel Embiid. Brett Brown’s groups have always been predicated on defense, while Ball’s L.A.-esque nature would be an odd vibe to work into a unit as close-knit as this Process-driven group.

Ball, on a personal level, seems like a strong fit, though. He’s a vocal leader on the floor, while his personality in the locker room is something every teammate of his at UCLA was willing to attest to. He’s a smart player who knows how to work within the flow of the game, and Brett Brown’s motion-heavy offense likely would have provided him with a comfortable home on that side of the ball.

It’s also difficult to get a grasp on where Ball’s ceiling truly stands in the NBA. He’s such a unique figure, wielding deficiencies that only he has had coming into the league. His scoring arsenal is heavily capped by a left-hip slingshot on his jumper, which basically negates any mid-range creation or off-the-dribble shots when moving right. He also shied away from dribble penetration at times, preferring to orchestrate from the perimeter and doing his damage as a slasher.

But Ball’s ability to see the floor, open up plays in transition and manipulate the offense from a variety of different spots is nearly unheralded. He doesn’t have to control the ball to control the game, and his scoring arsenal is best suited to a similar role. He almost does his best work as the secondary initator, making heady plays and setting up the right passes to keep the ball in motion.

If he were placed alongside a rotation that features Simmons, it’s difficult to foresee much failure in that regard.

Ball would have brought with him an interesting aura. One that doesn’t really fit the mold of a Philadelphia basketball player. His skill set, though, is something that could have upped the efficiency of Brett Brown’s system in a manner only he can. He wouldn’t be a massive scorer, and neither would Simmons, but they’d both be capable of creating looks for both themselves and others to help shoulder that load.

Next: Lonzo Ball's fit with the Sixers

Embiid would have had more space to operate, while Philadelphia’s potential would hinge largely on the development of two NBA draft anomalies in the top three. We don’t see many versions of Ben Simmons coming through the draft, and we most definitely haven’t seen a spectacle quite like that of Lonzo Ball.

It would’ve been one heck of a ride. We’ll see how Ball fares out west.