Tim Bontemps of ESPN is reporting that the Sixers, fresh off a trade for All-Star swingman Jimmy Butler, will start Butler, Ben Simmons, Joel Embiid, J.J. Redick, and Wilson Chandler against the Magic in tonight’s game in Orlando, meaning last year’s No. 1 overall pick, Markelle Fultz, is now officially coming off the bench after starting the team’s first 15 games.
However, head coach Brett Brown is still maintaining an outward showing of support for Fultz, saying “He’s great, he’s great. He understands, and we can’t say this enough, [Sixers general manager Elton Brand] said this … He’s got so many people in this program that genuinely care for him… He’s done nothing wrong. He’s done nothing wrong.”
Per Bontemps, Fultz will now serve as Simmons’ primary backup, likely getting somewhere in the range of 10 to 15 minutes per night. Fultz has played better when not playing without Simmons and therefore having the ball in his hands more, so it will be interesting to see how he handles this new role.
Fultz remains positive, saying “my mindset, as soon as I step on the court, is to help my team win. Every time I step on the court, every time I go in the game, my goal is to be a great teammate and help my team get the W.”
Great draft pick
I can totally see why they’d want him over Tatum
Your comment is cruel. I think this guy wants it really bad—maybe too much. Achieving success is a different process for each person. I wish him the best.
He’s working too hard to not find a way to succeed , but the hype of the #1 will always haunt him bc he’s definitely not a guy who will live up to that hype
Everyone hates on Lonzo but forgets this guy exists, and they basically traded Tatum to get him
Tatum was never going to be a Sixer. If BOS stayed at 2 they still would’ve drafted Tatum, and we would’ve ended up with Lonzo
Lonzo would have been a better fit w Simmons and Emblid (who by the way got stuffed at the rim by Issac of Orlando last night … i hope Issac gave him the Mutombo finger or talked shit to him bc Joel talks shit about everything and everyone … on the other hand 1st career triple double , impressive for the big
Rumors are fultz could be delt for kcp lmao.
Right…
Fultz still has the ability to improve with less than 1/2 a season played. KCP is already proven terrible. His role currently is the same as his rookie year, which he was terrible. He needs volume minutes to produce a role-player’s stat line.
Kevin O’Connor is reporting the Sixers are interested in adding KCP.
No way Lebrun allows that , he doesn’t need a worse version of Ball
The yips are a crazy thing
He earned it. still young enough to earn it back
Hate to credit new Brand just for a couple of good choices by the 6ers that seem obvious, but they were not getting done by others.
Fultz was the right choice at #1. Who before the draft would had chosen Tatum over Fultz, would have been the most stupid decision by a GM, as simple as. Hence why looking back at drafts is a pointless exercise, at college Fultz was way better & the right choice for #1… now if that proves to be the case on the long run is a completely different thing. So all the wise guys that now say Philly got it wrong, they show no knowledge of basketball at all. Is called the lottery for a reason the draft, some times you win some you loose. & by the way Fultz isn’t any where near a bust yet, he still can come up good.
Fultz isn’t anywhere near a bust? He’s not near. He is. He was a gunner for a losing team and seems to lack any self awareness. He seems totally outclassed and lost on the court. What do you see that’s promising in his game right now? To say he was hands down the #1 is a stretch. Ball and Tatum were in the conversation. The Lakers would have taken Ball at 1. Plus remember they also traded what was expected to be a top 5 Kong’s #1 pick as well.
The Sixers have now blown gargantuan leads against two middling teams. IN these games the player now being heralded as the GOAT has shot 10 for 36 while his opponent outscored him especially in crunch time, Ben has played as though he would rather be hanging out with Kendall, BB has been at the helm in both games playing Mike Muscala as though he is Scottie Pippen, and yet most of the Philly fans prefer to dump on Markelle who has shot 11 for 17. Am I missing something?
The G-league would be a better longer term option for his development than seeing 10-15 min a night.
His stats to date, alone, are not a reason to give up on him. Very young PGs almost always struggle in their first couple of years, including shooting, particularly from distance. Perhaps it may be more complicated in his case due to the shoulder condition (if it has turned into that, versus an injury), but that aside, I’d stay the course. His FT % would be more concerning to me than his 3 pt %.
Will be traded by seasons end