Blakely: Expect some intriguing offers coming Celtics' way

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BOSTON – Let the bidding war begin.
 
While the Celtics have engaged in potential trade talks with the Philadelphia 76ers, the Los Angeles Lakers are also a team with great interest in the number one overall pick.

And the reason can be summed up in two words…Markelle Fultz.
 
Widely considered the top prize in this year’s NBA draft, Fultz has worked out for the Lakers and is reportedly headed to Philadelphia on Saturday to talk with Sixers brass.
 
If Boston were to strike a deal with the Sixers, a league source tells CSNNE.com that it would include Philly’s pick this year (No. 3 overall) and the pick the Sixers will receive from the Los Angeles Lakers next year, which in all likelihood would be a lottery (top-14) pick.
 
And that would come on top of the Celtics - as part of the 2013 trade with the Brooklyn Nets - having Brooklyn’s first-round pick, which is also expected to be a high lottery pick.
 
Boston trading down in the first round has several implications beyond just acquiring an additional high draft pick in the future.
 
In the Celtics’ pursuit of Gordon Hayward this summer, Boston will have to clear enough salary cap space to make it happen.
 
By moving down to the No. 3 pick from the top overall selection, the Celtics would save about $1.38 million.
 
And while there has been little talk of a deal with the Lakers, don’t be surprised between now and the draft Thursday if the Lakers offer the No. 2 pick and Julius Randle for the right to move up one spot.
 
That would make for quite an interesting draft night for the Celtics, who would likely choose between Josh Jackson of Kansas and Lonzo Ball of UCLA – two players who both declined workouts for Boston.

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