Within the last two years, the Magic‘s medical staff has been tasked with helping Chuma Okeke, Jonathan Isaac, and Markelle Fultz rehab from ACL tears. As the player who suffered his injury most recently, Fultz is reassured by observing how the club’s staff has handled his teammates’ recoveries, he tells Josh Robbins of The Athletic.
“Seeing what my (team’s) medical staff has done with people who had ACL injuries, I know they have some experience with that,” Fultz said. “That also gives me a little bit of confidence going into it, and I have a little bit of a blueprint to see how it goes and how it feels. I have people to ask questions that are my peers, somebody who I can relate to, which also gives me a boost of confidence going into it knowing that they’ve come back stronger and better.”
Although Fultz won’t get back on the court until the 2021/22 season, he said his knee “feels amazing,” and he told Robbins that he can’t wait to suit up again for a Magic team that has shifted into rebuilding mode.
“It just puts another chip on my shoulder again, to come back and play for this organization and the city, and just give it my all,” the former No. 1 pick said. “(I want to) just show them the love that I have for the city and how thankful I am for the opportunities that they’ve given me.”
Here’s more from around the Southeast:
- In what has become an annual tradition, Heat center Udonis Haslem said this week that he’s unsure whether or not he’ll play another year and that he plans to make that decision sometime after the season (Twitter link via Ira Winderman of The South Florida Sun Sentinel). The big man, who will turn 41 next month, has signed one-year contracts with Miami for five consecutive years.
- As Bobby Marks of ESPN notes (via Twitter), Hawks center Clint Capela passed the 1,757-minute threshold on Wednesday, making him eligible to earn a $500K bonus based on defensive rebound percentage. Capela needs that number to be higher than 30% to receive his bonus — it’s currently a league-best 34.4%, per Basketball-Reference.
- Chase Hughes of NBC Sports Washington contends that a handful of GM Tommy Sheppard‘s roster moves – including drafting Rui Hachimura, trading for Russell Westbrook, and acquiring Daniel Gafford – have the Wizards on a positive trajectory.
Check out this insanity by Chase Hughes:
“The Wizards traded a very good player, but one with health concerns, and a heavily protected first-round pick, for an all-time great still in his prime. ”
Bro, Westbrook has 2.9 WS, the second-lowest amount in his career, with only his rookie season having less. His prime was 14.0 WS in 15-16. Get a grip, Chase, and be professional in your writing, lay off the clown stuff.
Haslem hasn’t played a single minute this season, has he? I get he is a respected voice in the locker room and all that, but this is just going a little too far.
That’s the thing, the HEAT (like the SPURS) does things their own way …….. they build organically, develop talent on the court and in their front office.
With their track record, can’t blame them really.
Wasted roster spot. Retire be a coach’s assistant. He isn’t going to play. He isn’t going to be offered any roster spot anywhere else. If he wants to participate in practices go for it bro. This one was dumb when they said they were bringing him back. Put him on the bench in a polo instead of DNPing all year.
^ Throughout most of the season, HEAT haven’t been able to fill their roster spots, even with UD himself occupying a spot.
Player development, front office development, hiring internally, coaching continuance ……… some things that the HEAT and SPURS have long preached and practiced.
Like I said, can anyone blame these teams with the results they show year in, year out?
On one hand I get that it is a wasted roster spot, like why not sign a young UFA or FA to develop? But on the other hand Haslem is engrained in Heat history so why not keep him around if you aren’t going to use that spot. I wonder how Heat fans feel about him.