June 18, 2017
Sixers Twitter isn’t easy to describe, but I have been part of it for a long time now. During that period, the Sixers have been: mediocre, mediocre and extremely lucky for one playoff series, at the mercy of Swaggy P fadeaway threes and Andrew Bynum degenerative knees, and for three seasons, historically terrible while Processing harder than anyone has Processed before.
This past season, the Sixers were finally exciting for a little while. But only a little while, which makes the excitement of June 17th, 2017 even more remarkable. During the Twitter era of Philly sports, the only night that probably compares to Saturday was when Cliff Lee spurned the New York Yankees and took less (but a lot!) of money to come back to Philadelphia.
Yep, Markelle Fultz will be a Philadelphia 76er.
Needless to say, Sixers fans are generally a pretty happy bunch at the team's new acquisition. Here is how Sixers Twitter (and the rest of Twitter) reacted to Fultz officially becoming Philly’s new starting point guard. Or one of them. Whatever.
Trade between Philly and Boston will be finalized on Monday, per source. Sides have agreed. Sixers will get first pick and take Fultz.
— David Aldridge (@daldridgetnt) June 18, 2017
me: "...so if they're able to trade up for Fultz it validates Hinkie's whole tenure."
— shamus (@shamus_clancy) June 17, 2017
therapist: "I meant what's up in your personal life."
Danny Ainge gonna kick this can down the road
— Jason Patt (@Bulls_Jay) June 18, 2017
Markelle Fultz screamed "WAWA IS BETTER THAN SHEETZ" when he dunked during his Sixers workout. Wowzers!
— Addison Hunsicker (@AddHunsicker11) June 18, 2017
They did it. I did it. You did it. We all did it. The process is complete. I can't believe it
— Mike O'Connor (@MOConnor_NBA) June 18, 2017
Joel Embiid. Ben Simmons. Markelle Fultz. Worth every moment of the past four years. Now let's win some games.
— Jake Pavorsky (@JakePavorsky) June 18, 2017
— Dennis (@GipperGrove) June 16, 2017
Fultz, Covington, Simmons, Embiid is a hell of a core four. Super fun to watch. Perfect pieces around Simmons.
— Mike Schmitz (@Mike_Schmitz) June 18, 2017
Even then, he knew. He's always known. pic.twitter.com/DfoQIphkt5
— Dave Schilling (@dave_schilling) June 18, 2017
Also, Sam Hinkie deserves a wild amount of credit for this deal if it goes down. Like, another GM job worth of credit.
— Sam Vecenie (@Sam_Vecenie) June 17, 2017
Philly is about to become a basketball city, really really quickly. This is gonna be awesome.
— Andrew Porter (@And_Porter) June 18, 2017
Hinkie had a remarkable GM tenure. Forget the tanking—he won virtually every trade. He made the Fultz move possible. Hinkie died for this. https://t.co/7rWGalbLDC
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 18, 2017
— swaggy mitch (@SwaggyMitch) June 18, 2017
I'm so jealous of the process, our process is drafting college seniors and signing free agents well past their prime
— Big Cat (@BarstoolBigCat) June 18, 2017
Trust. The. Process. pic.twitter.com/btbwVOX14s
— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) June 18, 2017
"Congrats on getting the #1 pick, Fultz will be a superstar in this league."
— DAMN. (@PickMeLastAgain) June 18, 2017
Danny Ainge: pic.twitter.com/FOUM47iVau
Then, it was mistakenly reported that the Sixers would be sending two picks to Boston, a steep price:
OK. Steep price, fascinated to find out what the protections are. https://t.co/IwNhStWORW
— Matt Carey (@RealMattCarey) June 18, 2017
Oh wow, they did send the Kings pick too. Protections are going to be a big deal here. https://t.co/VSxOca7cRo
— Rich Hofmann (@rich_hofmann) June 18, 2017
maybe the next sick, insane trade Danny Ainge pulls off can result in a pick he'll actually use
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) June 18, 2017
Another trade is coming...
— CelticsBlog (@celticsblog) June 18, 2017
...someday.
Life as a Celtics fan.
A Sixers source texted me earlier, after Markelle Fultz's visit: "He's gonna be awesome." Exciting times for Sixers fans. What a future. pic.twitter.com/4qt3GRp4jq
— Kevin O'Connor (@KevinOConnorNBA) June 18, 2017
The Sixers traded the 2017 5th pick, Michael Carter-Williams, Arturas Gudaitis, and Luka Mitrovic for the 2017 1st overall pick.
— Alessandro Gasparro (@sandrogasparro) June 18, 2017
So this is like Wentz. If Fultz is as advertised, losing the picks won't matter.
— FGSB (@FlyGoalScoredBy) June 18, 2017
Every Celtics fan that's had a Markelle Fultz avi for a month pic.twitter.com/uVDCzQ7L0H
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) June 18, 2017
I like the move for both teams. I like this trade for both teams. Both teams traded well.
— Hardwood Paroxysm (@HPbasketball) June 18, 2017
The protection here is going to be VERY interesting. https://t.co/q0bbSXRII9
— Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) June 18, 2017
Fun side benefits of this trade:
— Matt Carey (@RealMattCarey) June 18, 2017
- No Lavar Ball
- No Kyle Lowry
- Danny Ainge can once again almost get his guy
- Fultz not a Celtic
Need we say anymore? pic.twitter.com/51f0w6Z6BW
— Sixers Nation (@PHLSixersNation) June 18, 2017
When Lord Hinkie took over in 2013, core was Jrue Holiday, Thad Young, Evan Turner, Hawes. Were in cap hell. Had no good picks or assets.
— Adam Levitan (@adamlevitan) June 18, 2017
Sixers really about to be a playoff team that can go 8 deep with a bunch of 22 year olds in 3 seasons.
— Larry Beyince (@DragonflyJonez) June 18, 2017
gettin on the sixers bandwagon like pic.twitter.com/dv7rUzG5Ql
— Mina Kimes (@minakimes) June 18, 2017
And then…
According to league source, Celtics will receive the No. 3 overall pick this year & a protected future first-round pick from Philly, not two
— Adam Himmelsbach (@AdamHimmelsbach) June 18, 2017
this jibes https://t.co/XhMvyGTB9V
— Michael Levin (@Michael_Levin) June 18, 2017
— shamus (@shamus_clancy) June 18, 2017
...
Clarification on deal: Besides its 2017 FRP, Philly sends '18 Lakers pick w/ protections. If it doesn't convey, 76ers send 2019 Kings pick.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@WojVerticalNBA) June 18, 2017
Boom goes the dynamite.
I ALWAYS BELIEVED IN BRYAN https://t.co/tFL9bYJU5x
— Marc Whittington (@MWhittington13) June 18, 2017
Bryan Colangelo is hereby forgiven 500% for the Nerlens Noel trade https://t.co/AgYShcvPJb
— Daniel Victor (@bydanielvictor) June 18, 2017
THE DONCIC PROTECTION https://t.co/5zk4CBdmmL
— shamus (@shamus_clancy) June 18, 2017
Fultz in the hand worth two in the bush to me but iono iono
— Trill Withers (@TylerIAm) June 18, 2017
Call my tailor. I want the collars on all my shirts tripled in height by draft night. https://t.co/7NoT1pBDhE
— Michael Baumann (@MJ_Baumann) June 18, 2017
Massive difference to have it be either the Lakers OR the Kings pick. Besides quantity, can't lose Doncic.
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) June 18, 2017
Celtics will get Lakers pick if it falls between 2 and 5 in the 2018 draft, per league source. If not, the Celtics will get the Kings in '19
— Derek Bodner (@DerekBodnerNBA) June 18, 2017
Danny Ainge traded Markelle Fultz for a fake first round pick
— max (@MaxRappaport) June 18, 2017
Josh Jackson is saltttyyyyyyyyy pic.twitter.com/NdU5iB9HKO
— MAARRRKKKEELLLLE (@bliv94) June 18, 2017
Somebody's forgetting
— Yaya Dubin (@JADubin5) June 18, 2017
Kristaps &
Phil &
The Triangle https://t.co/44Vgx0RhSv
Scary to see what this lineup could do!! #Philly https://t.co/BTaUdA9g8r
— Robert Covington (@Holla_At_Rob33) June 18, 2017
Also, credit to Colangelo. This is a perfectly reasonable price to get the guy they want. He didn't acquire the assets, but got a good deal
— Andy Glockner (@AndyGlockner) June 18, 2017
— Kyle Neubeck (@KyleNeubeck) June 18, 2017
Folks laughed at the 10-win #Sixers of two seasons go. Now, they're shaking their heads in amazement of the franchise. #IshJustGotReal
— Keith Pompey (@PompeyOnSixers) June 18, 2017
#76ers will be better than the #Bulls next year. And their future is 100x better.
— Silvy (@WaddleandSilvy) June 18, 2017
An "achingly slow process"
— Haralabos Voulgaris (@haralabob) June 18, 2017
Its been 4 years. pic.twitter.com/e8yrzeFe9o
Bryan: Danny, it's Bryan. You get the Lakers or Kings pick.
— Jake Hyman (@RealJakeHyman) June 18, 2017
Ainge: How about both?
Bryan: How about not and now I'm adding protections. pic.twitter.com/ZeWVymkGbD
Much like many have said about me, I'm good with you Bryan Colangelo, even if I'm not so sure about your dad.
— Spike Eskin (@SpikeEskin) June 18, 2017
Overflowing with what exactly? https://t.co/iiSLYCKPDq
— Haralabos Voulgaris (@haralabob) June 18, 2017
Remember: this whole trade is possible because Hinkie got Divac to agree to a pick swap in that fleecing of a trade.
— Danny Leroux (@DannyLeroux) June 18, 2017
It's early and who knows what's actually happening, but man, I'm baffled the Celtics didn't get more in that deal
— Andrew Sharp (@andrewsharp) June 18, 2017
Here is Fultz doing the Rocky pose back in April. Very happy for my insufferable friends @michael_levin @SpikeEskin pic.twitter.com/7GDuilVnli
— Andrew Sharp (@andrewsharp) June 18, 2017
I have no idea how this whole thing will turn out, but that night on Twitter was a lot of fun.
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