Lakers delay Celtics taking Philadelphia 76ers protected NBA Draft pick

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NEW YORK, NEW YORK – MAY 16: The lottery drawing begins inside the lottery room during the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery at the New York Hilton in New York, New York. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this Photograph, user is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jennifer Pottheiser/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2019 through the telescope

Boston – Summarized – 5, 27. Both Grizzlies and Clippers firsts fall into protection (see below).
LA Clippers 1st (prot 1-14), Memphis Grizzlies 1st (prot 1-8), either Sacramento Kings or Philadelphia 76ers 1st (prot. 1) – whichever is better, Boston 1st

Philadelphia – Summarized 17, 35, 47 Kings pick conveys, but falls at 5, the low end of the 2018 range for Lakers pick in 2018. In the end, Celtics wait a year for a five pick.
less favorable of either Kings/76ers first , Philly 2nd round pick, more favorable of Kings/Milwaukee Bucks 2nd round pick

2019 NBA Draft picks a year removed

It is a pattern of NBA teams with picks subject to protections to end the season with those protections in place. That suggests that the Celtics 2019 1st round picks will fall within their prescribed protections. So for now, the presumption of the Kings pick being in a much better spot for 2019 is unfounded, relative to the 2-5 range the Lakers pick must fall within to convey this year.

And there is a matter of present value versus future value. With the Philadelphia 76ers amping up for a playoff run, and with the Boston Celtics deep into the playoff picture, present players have greater value than future players, IF THEY PRODUCE. The NBA Draft factor in any year is the random chance that the selecting team misses on their pick. Many point to the Sixers drafting of Jahlil Okafor as a bust, but he was offensively productive his first season. Nerlens Noel, similarly, was versatile defensively. But the center role of the Philadelphia 76ers was completely filled by Joel Embiid.