The Tribune

By INIGO 'NAUGHTY' ZENICAZELAYA

SINCE the Boston Celtics agreed to trade the No. 1 pick to the Philadelphia 76ers for the No. 3 pick and future assets, as per ESPN...

Markelle Fultz looks like he is heading to a new team, in the Eastern Conference, and the rest of the league needs to sit back and examine the fallout and the potential ripple effect it may have on the rest of the NBA Draft, the top 5 especially.

According to ESPN’s Chad Ford’s latest mock draft, Fultz will remain the No. 1 overall pick to the 76ers, while Lonzo Ball stays at No. 2 to the Los Angeles Lakers.

The change comes with Josh Jackson becoming the No. 3 to the Celtics. Rumours continue to swirl, Jackson is secretly Boston GM Danny Ainge’s prize pick of the litter.

If it turns out to be the case, then once again Ainge will have proven his prowess as a GM, securing the player he really coveted at #3, and still securing a first round pick in next year’s NBA Draft. The rich get richer I guess.

• Here’s the Breakdown:

FULTZ

The Celtics already with Isaiah Thomas and Avery Bradley in the fold, and starting at the guard spots as well as Marcus Smart also proving to be a useful back up for both, adding another player at the same position isn’t quite as necessary.

Fultz is a much better fit with the 76ers, a squad that has spent early picks on big men in recent years but needs a lot of help in the backcourt. He can both run the offence and defend opposing point guards.

BALL

The Lakers haven’t quite guaranteed Ball will end up with the team, according to Shams Charina of The Vertical. However, the latest reports seem to indicate they are now leaning toward Ball. At this point, it would be a significant surprise if he wasn’t taken No. 2 overall.

According to ESPN, point guard Ball had a second workout with Los Angeles this week, attempting to quell any lingering concerns the squad might have. During the workout, Ball displayed his training schedules, further trying to ease the potential doubts of the franchise he obviously wants to play for after Lakers brass had some doubts about his conditioning after his first workout.

Ball is one of the best true point guards to come out of college in years, leading college basketball with 7.6 assists per game last season. He was the catalyst behind one of the top offences in the country.

The Lakers already have a lot of young talent on the roster, but Ball - a California native - has the ability to get the most out of the people around him, and that hometown buzz following him around wherever he goes.

JACKSON

Trading the No. 1 pick is always risky, but the Celtics could end up with a great player in Josh Jackson if everything goes well, and more importantly the one player Celtics GM Danny Ainge wants more than any other.

Jackson is a versatile wing who knows how to score when either attacking the basket or knocking down shots from the perimeter (37.8 per cent shooting from three-point range last year). He has good athleticism at 6’8” that will allow him to remain a consistent threat at the next level.

Jackson is an excellent passer for his size and is an elite defender who can match up against multiple positions. This, along with his Kansas Jayhawks pedigree, makes him a perfect addition for a ready-made contender that was the No. 1 seed in the Eastern Conference last season.

While he might not put up huge numbers in his first year, he might be the most valuable rookie in the class, because of his excellent defence. The Celtics have the luxury to select a role player with one of the first few picks of the draft - Jackson’s upside remains high. Even if he takes on a secondary spot in the rotation in his first season, he will be a star down the line.

Disclaimer:

Please bear in mind that all of this could be pre Draft posturing and rumour mongering. Who knows, my Lakers may shock us all taking Duke’s Jason Tatum at No. 2!

• Naughty presents ‘Mischief and Mayhem in da AM’ from 6am to 10am, Monday to Friday and ‘The Press Box’ sports talk show on Sunday from 10am to 1pm, on KISS FM 96.1. Comments and questions to naughty@tribunemedia.net