BOSTON (CBS) â?? In acquiring a protected version of the 2018 Lakers first round pick from the Philadelphia 76ers as part of the package for the No. 1 overall pick in 2017, the Celtics made a calculated gamble. Boston negotiated receiving the Lakers pick if it falls between the 2-5 pick range following the 2018 Draft Lottery, otherwise the pick will carry over to a Kings or Sixers first round pick in 2019.
Essentially, the bet from the Celtics’ front office was that the Lakers would be a cellar dwellar for the third straight season.