Less than a week from the 2017 NBA Draft, a blockbuster trade could be in the works. ESPN's Marc Stein and Zach Lowe reported Friday that the Boston Celtics are in "serious talks" with the Philadelphia 76ers about a trade package involving Boston's No. 1 pick. The Vertical's Adrian Wojnarowski reported that the Celtics would receive the No. 3 pick and a future first-round pick from the Sixers in the trade.

The Vertical also reported that presumptive No. 1 pick Markelle Fultz could be on his way to Philly on Saturday for a meeting. The Boston Herald also reported advanced talks, but that a deal was not imminent and could be delayed until Monday. Later Friday, TNT's David Aldridge tweeted that a meeting between the Sixers and Fultz had not been scheduled:

This looks like it could be close, so let's have a look at what it would mean both both sides:

Sixers could have their Big 3

If this trade goes through and Fultz is selected first overall, Philadelphia will have the most impressive collection of young, elite talent on its roster since the Oklahoma City Thunder employed Kevin Durant, Russell Westbrook, James Harden and Serge Ibaka. In the 31 games that center Joel Embiid played last season, he was one of the most productive rookies the NBA has ever seen. Ben Simmons, selected No. 1 last June, has superstar potential because of his combination of court vision and athleticism. Fultz is the rare prospect with no discernible weaknesses, and he fits perfectly with the two other cornerstones.

The logic here is simple: The Sixers have been stockpiling assets since Sam Hinkie took over in 2013. Bryan Colangelo's front office is now trying to take the next step. Depending on what picks are involved, Philadelphia could wind up paying a hefty price for Fultz, but what's the point of accumulating all those picks if not to try to make a big move like this one day? Fultz has genuine franchise-player potential, but with the Sixers he won't have the pressure of carrying a team on his own. He can split ballhandling duties with Simmons, run pick-and-rolls with Embiid and push the pace in transition. 

Philadelphia has been looking for its point guard of the future for years, and after it picked Simmons, shooting became an essential part of that point guard's job description. If the Sixers were to stay at No. 3 and reach for someone like De'Aaron Fox, it would be risky because of his inconsistent jumper. If they were to try to trade down and take Malik Monk, Frank Ntilikina or Dennis Smith, it would be fine but there wouldn't be as much upside. Fultz should be a good shooter, maybe even an excellent one, and his ability to play on and off the ball and defend both backcourt positions makes him the ideal fit as Colangelo tries to build a team that can have sustainable success. 

Celtics could be thinking bigger

I'd like to start by saying Boston could be overthinking things here. If Fultz is the head-and-shoulders best player in his draft class, perhaps team president Danny Ainge should simply take him and figure out the rest later. There's no reason Fultz can't play with star guard Isaiah Thomas, at least at first, and there's no hurry for the Celtics to have a perfectly balanced roster while the Golden State Warriors and Cleveland Cavaliers are as dominant as they are.

There are a few reasons, though, that Ainge could once again look like a genius here. If he simply values another prospect -- say, forward Josh Jackson of Kansas -- more highly than Fultz, then this would let him get his guy and receive two nice bonuses. First, this would give Boston more salary-cap flexibility, as the No. 3 pick makes significantly less than the top pick under the terms of the league's rookie scale. Second, this would give the Celtics another opportunity to add to their roster. Boston is not short on young talent or future picks, but it always helps to have more, especially if it ends up being a lottery pick.

This trade can't be graded until we know what picks are involved -- there's an obvious difference between Boston getting next year's Lakers pick or, say, Philadelphia's 2019 pick -- but we already know that Ainge would afford himself even more flexibility in the future by doing this deal. Do not be surprised if the future pick he gets is eventually used in another trade for an established star. 

Beyond all the future ramifications, there is also an argument that the Celtics are doing what's best for them in the short term. Taking Jackson (or Duke's Jayson Tatum) would give the team more size and versatility on the wing. Everybody is looking for that these days, and it's not easy to acquire talented players who can shift between both forward positions. As Boston tries to compete with the Warriors and Cavaliers, it might need a Jackson type to support Jae Crowder and Jaylen Brown more than it needs a Fultz type to take pressure off of Thomas. If the Celtics want a bunch of like-sized, interchangeable players who can switch screens defensively, this is the way to go. Jackson would provide some additional passing, too, which would surely delight coach Brad Stevens.