Philadelphia 76ers trade 39th pick to the Lakers for future second, cash

While the 2018 NBA Draft may still be hours away, the Philadelphia 76ers have already made their first move, shipping the 39th overall pick to the Lakers.

It’s almost draft day Philadelphia 76ers fans, and don’t look now, but your favorite team’s already making moves.

According to ESPN’s Senior NBA Insider Adrian Wojnarowski, arguably the most respectable source for breaking news in the league, the 76ers have traded the 39th overall pick in the 2018 NBA Draft to the Los Angeles Lakers for a 2019 second-round pick (via the Chicago Bulls) and cash.

But what could this mean for the team’s draft strategy moving forward?

Honestly, probably nothing.

With six picks going into draft day, two in the first round and four in the second, the team was always going to try to unload at least a couple of their second rounders for cash and future assets. like they did last season when they sold the 39th and 46th overall picks to the LA Clippers and Milwaukee Bucks respectively, it just appears as though the team has started the process a day early.

Sometimes you just have to Trust the Process.

With only three-four potential openings on their roster going into 2018, free agency notwithstanding, the 76ers simply can’t keep five, let alone six players moving forward, and while they could obviously draft a foreign player and stash them overseas, like they did last year when they traded up to select Latvian center Anzejs Pasecniks 25th overall, those prospects seldom turn into starters, let alone solid role players.

While it may not be fun to think about, one day, the Philadelphia 76ers will run out of assets procured by ex-GM Sam Hinkie and will have to get creative with the process of procuring talent to fill out their rosters. Though it may not happen this season, or even next, it’s a smart decision to defer some of these picks a few years into the future, especially as the team’s roster continues to become more and more expensive with each passing year.

Next: Are the Sixers trying to trade up for Luka Doncic?

And don’t expect this to be the last move Philly makes in relation to the draft. With five picks left to play with and a stockpile of present and future assets, expect plenty of movement from Brett Brown‘s squad on draft night. Needless to say, the draft is going to be must watch television once more in the City of Brotherly Love.