Woj, Stein, & Lowe - C's and Sixers in serious talks for #1 pick

[Tr1boy]

Nbadrafts latest take as to how Lakers taking Ball ties in with 76ers- celtics trade

Why the Lakers take Lonzo Ball: The Lakers taking Ball is said to be close to a done deal, meaning that the Jackson interest was likely a smoke screen to try to get Ainge and the Celtics to stand pat and select Jackson, allowing Fultz to fall to them at 2. Ball gives the Lakers a perfect set up guy to pair with DeAngelo Russell. The Lakers could still take a hard look at Jackson, but word is that Ball at their pick is close to a lock now. the Lakers will have more options to pursue wing players like Paul George without Jackson.

[chiken Green]

More good picks is different than more good players. You are correct that a top player beats several good players but more high picks equals more swings of the bat in the crap shoot that is the NBA draft, giving you a better chance at one of those elite players.

The #1 overall pick is not a crapshoot.

Roughly 20 years of #1 picks. Some all-stars. Some HOF's. Some mild disappointments. Some complete busts. So, yeah, it's always a crapshoot.

Olowokandi
Brand
Kenyon Martin
Kwame Brown
Yao
LeBron
Howard
Bogut
Bargnani
Oden
Rose
Blake Griffin
Wall
Irving
Davis
Bennett
Wiggins
Simmons

Take this list and pull out the Guards and then tell us what you think. How many of the guards failed?

[nickagneta]

Nbadrafts latest take as to how Lakers taking Ball ties in with 76ers- celtics trade

Why the Lakers take Lonzo Ball: The Lakers taking Ball is said to be close to a done deal, meaning that the Jackson interest was likely a smoke screen to try to get Ainge and the Celtics to stand pat and select Jackson, allowing Fultz to fall to them at 2. Ball gives the Lakers a perfect set up guy to pair with DeAngelo Russell. The Lakers could still take a hard look at Jackson, but word is that Ball at their pick is close to a lock now. the Lakers will have more options to pursue wing players like Paul George without Jackson.

So Lakers roll out a starting five of Ball/Russell/Ingram/Randal/Mosgov?

Danny better be getting the Lakers 2018 in this trade because the Lakers are going to suck with that starting lineup. It has potential for the future but in the here and now they will be awful

[celticinorlando]

I think Danny just likes collecting picks. Doesn't trade them...Doesn't even use them to pick players. Just keeps collecting them

[PAOBoston]

Adrian Wojnarowski‏Verified account @WojVerticalNBA 14m14 minutes ago

Sources: The plan's for Markelle Fultz's visit to Philadelphia today to clear way toward finalizing a deal with Boston for No. 1 pick.

Adrian Wojnarowski‏Verified account @WojVerticalNBA 13m13 minutes ago

Adrian Wojnarowski Retweeted Adrian Wojnarowski

Discussions have centered on Sixers sending 2017 No. 3, 2018 Lakers pick, and possibly 2021 1st -- including complicated protections.

[Dino Pitino]

Ainge is trying to be Belichick!

Can't believe someone typed that negatively. 

[Boris Badenov]

Ainge is trying to be Belichick!

Can't believe someone typed that negatively. 

It's negative in basketball, where having a top-3 superstar is necessary to win a championship. Belichick's strategy works perfectly in football where top-to-bottom roster depth is a key.

[Boris Badenov]

Adrian Wojnarowski‏Verified account @WojVerticalNBA 14m14 minutes ago

Sources: The plan's for Markelle Fultz's visit to Philadelphia today to clear way toward finalizing a deal with Boston for No. 1 pick.

Adrian Wojnarowski‏Verified account @WojVerticalNBA 13m13 minutes ago

Adrian Wojnarowski Retweeted Adrian Wojnarowski

Discussions have centered on Sixers sending 2017 No. 3, 2018 Lakers pick, and possibly 2021 1st -- including complicated protections.

"Complicated protections" scare me.

And in any event let's suppose we get the 2018 Lakers pick and they end up winning 29 games and get the 6th lottery slot, then drop to 8th on draft day.

We flip the #3 and the other pick for Butler.

Is the #1 for Butler and a 2018 mid-lottery pick worth it?

I mean, we could've had him at the deadline this year, supposedly, except for the fact that we wanted #1 protection on it. Now we have the #1 and we go for something that's pretty similar?

I just get the feeling there's something fundamental about all this I'm missing, in terms of what Danny's up to. I guess we will have to wait until draft night.

[Bobshot]

Screw this deal unless those picks can be parlayed into a Butler. They need more than the #3 and next year's first round pick, which could be anywhere.

Do people realize how hard it is to get to #1 overall in the lottery?  It's strictly a dice roll.

Ainge has got to stop collecting draft picks, and then doing nothing with them.

[CelticsElite]

Ainge is trying to be Belichick!

Can't believe someone typed that negatively. 

It's negative in basketball, where having a top-3 superstar is necessary to win a championship. Belichick's strategy works perfectly in football where top-to-bottom roster depth is a key.

exactly the NFL draft is super deep. It's 3 days long. Whereas the NBA draft is top heavy if it's heavy at all. Some NBA drafts have only 1 good player.

[CelticsElite]

Screw this deal unless those picks can be parlayed into a Butler. They need more than the #3 and next year's first round pick, which could be anywhere.

Do people realize how hard it is to get to #1 overall in the lottery?  It's strictly a dice roll.

Ainge has got to stop collecting draft picks, and then doing nothing with them.

exactly we have too many picks.  We literally had 8 picks in last years draft where Danny was forced to stash in the first for salary reasons

[colincb]

Do not believe the rumor of a deal for Butler. It would have to be a Godfather offer to move the Bulls from their focus of generating revenue from a long string of sell-outs. They do not rebuild to chase championship. Never have. Besides, Danny likes to win trades.

[Dino Pitino]

Ainge is trying to be Belichick!

Can't believe someone typed that negatively. 

It's negative in basketball, where having a top-3 superstar is necessary to win a championship. Belichick's strategy works perfectly in football where top-to-bottom roster depth is a key.

exactly the NFL draft is super deep. It's 3 days long. Whereas the NBA draft is top heavy if it's heavy at all. Some NBA drafts have only 1 good player.

You guys are taking "trying to be Belichick" too literally. If he sees very little difference in value between the #1 and #3 pick and squeezes an extra lotto pick next year out of it, that's being Belichick, too. The basketball version. Doesn't have to be him trading a 1st rounder for three future seconds for the analogy to work.

[PaulP34]

Giving up a decade of Fultz for 1 year of PG13 or 2 years of Butler is a moronic move. Just shows how impatient Ainge can be. We should be in no rush but unfortunately with the Al Horford signing and failing to aquire this years NBA Finals MVP he created a win now philosophy. Signing Horford ruined the future of this team and organization. SMH

[RJ87]

I think Danny just likes collecting picks. Doesn't trade them...Doesn't even use them to pick players. Just keeps collecting them

Pretty much.