It’s official: The Celtics have traded the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft to Philadelphia for the 76ers’ No. 3 overall pick.
The Celtics also will receive either the Lakers’ 2018 first-round pick or the Kings’ 2019 first-round pick. The conditions on the future first-round pick are as follows, according to a Celtics news release:
“The future first round pick will be the Los Angeles Lakers’ 2018 pick if it’s within the No. 2 to No. 5 range of the 2018 draft. If it is not, the Celtics will instead receive either Sacramento’s or Philadelphia’s first round pick in 2019, whichever is more favorable. However, if either of those 2019 picks result in the first overall selection, Boston will instead receive the other first round pick.”
News of a potential trade started to circulate Friday. The deal was reported to be finalized on Saturday night when TNT’s David Aldridge reported Philadelphia would use the top pick to draft Washington point guard Markelle Fultz.
“We’re thrilled to be able to select what we expect to be an impact player with the third pick in this year’s very talented draft class, while also adding a highly valuable future asset as we continue to build towards Banner 18,” Celtics president of basketball operations Danny Ainge said.
Fultz, the consensus No. 1 prospect, averaged 23.2 points and shot 41.3 percent from 3-point range in his lone season at Washington. He flew to Philadelphia Saturday for a workout after canceling his second workout with the Celtics.
The Globe’s Adam Himmelsbach has reported that the Celtics have long believed there are four elite prospects in this draft class, and the gap between them is small. Boston’s loaded backcourt, headlined by two-time All-Star Isaiah Thomas, also factored into the decision to trade the top pick.
The first four teams will draft in the same order as last year.
Related: Guide to the 2017 NBA Draft
Brad Almquist can be reached at brad.almquist@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter at @bquist13.