NBA Rumors: The latest on Sixers, Celtics pick swap

Washington guard Markelle Fultz. (Photo: Getty Images)

You know what they say, you either trust the process or you don’t.

And right now, the 76ers faithful are fully entrusting of said process as the rumors are becoming more concrete with each passing second. The organization is set to acquire the No.1 pick in next week’s draft with the intention of selecting Washington point guard, Markelle Fultz.

All reports are suggesting the Sixers will be dealing their No. 3 pick this year, a future first and the pick they acquired from the Los Angeles Lakers to make the move up. Zach Lowe of ESPN said he’d be surprised if this deal isn’t finalized soon, saying the “terms are essentially agreed on.”

With the Sixers seemingly only giving up draft picks, this move has to be viewed as a major win for the organization. A young trio of Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid and Fultz would be among the best in the league, and certainly the most intriguing to watch as they all enter the league at the same time.

There are still some details to work on before this if finalized, of course. Fultz is reportedly flying into Philadelphia where the staff will conduct a physical, per Adrain Wojnarowski of The Vertical. The team was set to host a private workout with Kentucky point guard De’Aaron Fox on Saturday; there’s no word if this will affect that or not.

News on twitter flew all night Friday, with lots of buzz about the potential of the trade becoming a three-team deal, possibly netting Boston the Bulls’ Jimmy Butler with Jahlil Okafor perhaps involved in the swap.

The 76ers spent years stockpiling assets for a move like this. There’s no need to hold onto all these picks, especially when there’s already a good foundation set in place in Simmons and Embiid. Adding Fultz to the puzzle, along with the others like Robert Covington and Dario Saric, would make the Sixers a team to watch for the next decade if health doesn’t become an issue.

All that process trusting appears to be paying off for those loyal Sixers fans.