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Report: Celtics might not take Markelle Fultz at No. 1

Markelle Fultz

It’s been assumed by many for a while now that Washington point guard Markelle Fultz will be the No. 1 pick of the 2017 NBA Draft. But maybe that’s a bit hasty, according to a report by Chad Ford of ESPN, who notes the Boston Celtics have a handful of players they’re considering.

Per Ford, Fultz is very much still in the mix. However, the Celtics are also considering Lonzo Ball, Josh Jackson, De’Aaron Fox and Jayson Tatum.

This is an interesting report for a couple reasons. First and foremost, if the Celtics take someone other than Fultz, then the Los Angeles Lakers would almost certainly be interested in taking him over Lonzo Ball. There are reports out there that the Lakers are not sold on Ball, and his recent workout apparently didn’t do the trick to erase those thoughts.

It’s also interesting because what the Celtics do at the top of the draft might give an indication about what the organization thinks of Isaiah Thomas long term. Bring in a point guard, and it seems clear Thomas is viewed as a potentially expendable, tradeable player.

Fultz is a premier point guard. He was stellar in his lone season for the Huskies, averaging 23.2 points, 5.7 rebounds and 5.8 assists per game. He also shot 41.3 percent from behind the arc and has the range to transition nicely into the NBA as a shooter. Fultz also recently bulked up a bit and appears ready for the physicality of the NBA.

It’s going to be fascinating to see what happens when the draft kicks off on June 22.

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