Lakers delay Celtics taking Philadelphia 76ers protected NBA Draft pick

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PHILADELPHIA, PA – JUNE 24: Timothé Luwawu-Cabarrot and General Manager Bryan Colangelo attend a press conference after being selected by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2016 NBA Draft on June 24, 2016 in Philadelphia, PA. 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 2016 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /

2019 Talent flips to wings

The NBA and NCAA are very interested in halting the one-and-done runs. That is, high school students play just one year of NCAA basketball on their way to the NBA. While there are 2019 Mock Drafts currently available, they are merely to entertain.

Projecting a power forward who is currently 6-foot-6 behind a small forward who stands 6-foot-8 suggests some fine tuning remains. But the top talent in that 2019 NBA Draft is concentrated among shooting guard, small forward, and power forward positions.

Wings- Sixers on the (playoff) run

And all that coincides to the positions of the highest ranking incoming college freshmen. These are positions which the Boston Celtics appear to be quite happy with their current long term outlook. But they are positions the Philadelphia 76ers will be shopping for, if merely to augment their roster. In the end, the NBA Draft talent pool from this vantage point seems to favor the scenario where the Laker’s picks comes to Philadelphia in 2018.

Of course, it still remains a matter of which slot that pick falls, and who is on the Draft Board when it happens. But it appears that it’s in Boston’s best interest to secure that pick in 2018. And if that is the case, it’s better for the Philadelphia 76ers if it doesn’t.