There’s no denying that the Philadelphia 76ers are going to get a point guard in this year’s NBA Draft. No matter how extraordinary of a playmaker Ben Simmons is, his natural position remains the forward spot.
Although this draft is littered with quality point guard prospects, Markelle Fultz of Washington is the consensus no.1 overall pick for a reason. The Sixers, who are perhaps a good point guard away from becoming a major contender in the Eastern Conference for a long time, could take a gamble and gun for the no.1 overall pick currently in the hands of the Boston Celtics.
Exploring pick swap situation between Celtics and Sixers
According to Ringer columnist and die-hard Celtics fan Bill Simmons, it won’t be surprising if the Sixers start reaching out to Danny Ainge, proposing a trade that would involve the no. 2 and no. 3 picks in this year’s draft. Based on recent reports by draft experts, Philadelphia reportedly likes Fultz because he’s an NBA-ready talent who can make an impact right away.
With Joel Embiid and Dario Saric heading into their second season, and Simmons kicking off his rookie campaign after skipping the 2016/17 season with a foot injury, Philadelphia needs a bona-fide playmaker in the backcourt. The Ringer pundit thinks a deal between the Sixers and the Celtics is not out of realm of possibility since Philadelphia has a collection of talent and draft picks to entice Ainge.
“So, if, I don't know, Philly goes to them and says we'll give you number three, and we'll also give you this, this, this and this to switch spots with us, this is a great draft, like, I'm pretty sure the Celtics could talk themselves into Josh Jackson at number three. So, you know, I'm not one to rule anything out," per Simmons.
Trade packages
Former no. 3 overall pick Jahlil Okafor is obviously one of the trade assets the Sixers are willing to move for the top pick. The 21-year old Okafor averaged 14 points and 6 rebounds per game in two seasons with the Sixers. While the numbers aren’t bad, the emergence of Embiid and Saric makes him a dispensable piece.
Obviously, the Sixers would need more than Okafor and their no. 3 pick to entice the Celtics. Joe Giglio of New Jersey.com speculates that the Sixers might consider throwing in the 2018 unprotected Lakers pick as well to seal the deal. Sending the no.1 pick to Philadelphia would cost the Celtics a shot at Fultz or a Lonzo Ball. However, with a deep pool of assets, Ainge can easily turn things around by flipping these picks into an established star like Jimmy Butler or Paul George.
