The Lakers’ current five-game losing streak affects more than just the mood in the Staples Center. It could help determine the long-range balance of power in the Atlantic Division and the entire league.
L.A.’s first-round pick for 2018 will belong to either the Sixers or Celtics, depending on where it falls. If it’s No. 1 overall or sixth or later, Philadelphia gets to keep it. If it’s anywhere from second to fifth, the selection goes to Boston. The unusual protection rules were applied in the deal that sent this year’s number one from the Celtics to the Sixers.
The draft choice has been on a long journey since the Lakers sent it to Phoenix in the Steve Nash trade in July of 2012. The Suns moved it on to Philadelphia in a three-team deal in 2015 that brought Brandon Knight and Kendall Marshall to Phoenix. The pick was top five protected in 2015 and top three protected in 2016 and 2017, so the Sixers have been waiting a long time for it to convey.
The Celtics appeared to be out of the running for the pick when the Lakers started the season strong, but they have fallen on hard times over the past month. Their 11-23 record is the third worst in the league, ahead of only the Grizzlies at 11-24 and the Hawks at 9-26. A handful of teams are jumbled just in front of them, so L.A. is just a half-game from catching the sixth-place Kings and moving the odds for the pick back in Philadelphia’s favor. Regardless of where the teams all finish, the final determination won’t be made until lottery night.
The potential payoff for the Celtics or Sixers could be huge. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony has Slovenian star Luka Doncic ranked first in his latest mock draft (Insider account), followed by Duke’s Marvin Bagley III, Arizona’s Deandre Ayton, Missouri’s Michael Porter Jr. and Texas’ Mohamed Bamba. Either Boston or Philadelphia will be in line to add a cornerstone player to an already impressive roster.
If the Sixers land the top pick, Doncic could be a versatile running mate for Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons for the next decade or so. The Celtics could upgrade at center by taking Bagley, Ayton or Bamba or they could add another star wing player in Porter.
Our question for tonight is which team would benefit more from landing the Lakers’ pick if it remains high in the lottery? Please leave your comments in the space below.
The Celtics getting the pick helps with salary cap in signing Kyrie down the road or in a trade for Anthony Davis. Ainge likes to keep near the salary cap. This pick, Jason Tatum, and Jaylen Brown is why he can.
Celtics would benefit the most because they are a fringe title contender and adding a quality player could push them over the top. Philly is a mediocre team and is still at least 3 years away.
If you haven’t watched Trae Young, you’d better!
I think lakers sorely regret getting fleeced for steve nash years ago….at that age wasnt even worth 2 second rounders. That being said i think that if picks dont convey they should get higher as the years go on. Lakers need the pick more than the sixers or celtics, really unfortunate.
Shouldnt*
Yeah, the Lakers not having this pick is pretty devastating considering where they are in their rebuild. Having another top young talent, to pair with the likely FA star(s) they will get this offseason would have been huge for them.
I almost wonder if Porter falls into the Celtics lap, would they consider moving Hayward? Can’t pay everyone. Smart will be an RFA and then I believe Jaylen is the following year, so there’s like 35-40 million a year depending on where the cap falls. Won’t Kyrie need a new deal in 2 years too?
Kyrie is up in 2 years. He should get the max. You’d have Horford, Hayward, and Kyrie making $25 million plus. Smart should get $15 million. If Brown continues to improve, he should be $20 milion plus. Add Marcus Morris. That’s $100 million plus.
Don’t think Celtics will trade Gordon Hayward. Butler lost the NCAA Championship game 2 years in a row. Brad stevens was coach and Hayward was his best player. They say they have unfinished business together.
Smart is gone. He is very replaceable at that salary.
link to encrypted.google.com
This USAToday article goes deeper into the details that the HR article does, which goes in a different and more vague direction.
Media in general does a horrible job of reporting trade details. I think HR’s accounts are already in the archives.
There should be a chart showing incoming and outgoing for each participant (instead of trying to jam the info into linear, one-direction text), then cover all the contingencies involved.
HR could do the world a favor by going in-depth into the trade so as to have a reference/link for articles like this, which there will likely be more of.
can’t wait for Philly to get this pick, so we can keep adding talent to our team