Rumors of Markelle Fultz making his return this coming Friday have begun to circulate, but Derek Bodner of The Athletic (Twitter links) hears from multiple sources that there are no plans in place to have the rookie suit up this week. Bodner adds that the Sixers are encouraged by the point guard’s progress.
By many accounts, Fultz is looking better in practice. He appears to have re-discovered his jump shot, which had looked altered for much of 2017/18.
Still, coach Brett Brown indicates that no decision on whether to bring last year’s No. 1 overall pick back this season has been made, per Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer (Twitter link). The franchise may continue to hold Fultz out of action as it jockeys for position in the Eastern Conference playoff race.
jockeys
And at this point why not, they are in the playoffs, give some fresh legs to the rotation guys, just think of it as ike a super expensive 10-day contract.
If he is 100% healthy I’m all for it but if it’s ANYTHING less than no thanks. No point risking his health just to get him on the court for a few games.
Get him out there, show him off, trade him next Summer
Why would they trade him? His value would be at a low even if they let him play some games to finish the season.
Rookie of the year run
Westbrook and Lillard hybrid.
What a terrible move trading up was for the 6ers
Dude if you’ve got nothing good to say just keep it to yourself. How can you judge it as a terrible move and you haven’t even seen the kid suit up? He’s easily the best player in the draft if he’s healthy.
“He’s the best player in the draft if he’s healthy”, says who? The kid has barely played and for all his big potential he has some big flaws too.
Better than Tatum or Mitchell? That’s funny.
A good rookie campaign doesn’t mean sustained success. Brandon Roy? MCW?
Fultz can get to the basket at will, if his shot is good you can bank on him being just as good as Mitchell and Tatum. He’s a big guard with exceptional foot work.
Also have to consider who the Celtics get with the acquired pick.
That won’t happen until 2019 tho w the Kings pick.
Guy hasn’t even played yet. Who knows how good or bad he is gonna be but even if he never develops a great shot he can still pass and get to the rim at will. So calm down bro. They are already good without him even with turnover problems. If he is any decent that makes them that much better.
Philly native here but I’m sick of hearing of him. Shut him down till next year
Let him play…we can use another scorer off the bench.
Markelle Fultz is very likely a nice fellow, and we’re all certain he one day will be a great player in the NBA.
But the elephant in the room has to be, the Sixers kind of made a whopper of an error back on draft day, trading UP to the #1 to take Fultz, seeing as how the best rookie of the draft was Jayson Tatum, who they might easily have had at #3, and who they SHOULD have taken at #1.
Tatum currently has 5.9 win shares on the season, and is averaging .138 WS/48min. That is one of the best rookie seasons, ever.
Here’s the thing; NEVER DRAFT FOR POSITIONAL NEED. ALWAYS TAKE THE BEST PLAYER.
The Irony here is that there was a fine #2 shooting guard way down further in the draft, and his name was Josh Hart, of Villanova. Hart has about 3 win shares, and can shoot the 3 ball, plays good D, and is 6 foot 5. he’s got .100 WS/48m, which is great for a guard. he was taken 30th in the first round, so actually the Sixers could have traded DOWN their 3d pick and taken Hart and another player, like Derrick White, who is a great rookie Point Guard with size now on San Antonio, taken 29th.
It just seems to me that the Sixers, despite all the tanking and all the draft picks, actually don’t have all that much to show for all the picks the past few years.
At any rate, i really wish Fultz well. Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid are truly great players. But choosing Jahlil Okafor ahead of Porzingis now looks kind of silly in retrospect; and you could go over the last four years of drafts and wonder, “what were they thinking?”
Art Kyriazis, Molecular Biologist, biostatistician, and sometime SABR guy
215-300-5108
ajkbiotech@icloud.com
Those special glasses you have give you incredible hindsight!
Try posting your resume on Monster.
Hahahahahahaha
You forgot that they should have also traded down for Mitchell, too bad they don’t have your magical power to know how every draft prospect will work out