The Philadelphia 76ers are already all-in on Ben Simmons at No. 1 overall tonight at the 2016 NBA Draft. Now the franchise is “ramping up efforts” to acquire the No. 3 pick, currently owned by the Boston Celtics, per Marc Stein and Chad Ford of ESPN.
League sources tell @chadfordinsider and me: Philadelphia is ramping up its efforts to acquire tonight's No. 3 overall pick from Boston.
— Marc Stein (@TheSteinLine) June 23, 2016
Perhaps this means the Sixers might be willing to part with Nerlens Noel. The Celtics are reportedly hot to trot for the young big man, but a previous report indicated Philly was more interested in trading Jahlil Okafor than Noel.
The goal for the Sixers in this potential deal would probably be to land a top guard. NBC Sports NBA insider Sean Highkin is reported recently that Philadelphia’s primary target at three would be former Providence point guard Kris Dunn.
For the Celtics, it appears they would rather bring in a player with some seasoning to team with point guard Isaiah Thomas, rather than develop a rookie.
If the two sides can work out an amicable deal, it could be a win-win. Time is of the essence, and deadlines always prompt action. Stay tuned for more on this developing story.