Markelle Fultz

[twslam07]

Their incentive is to try to make the Finals this year so they can retain Jimmy Butler and run it back. They have every incentive to go deep into the playoffs this year and use Fultz as a trade chip to complement their trio of Butler, Embiid and Simmons. I said before the season there was no way Fultz and Simmons could coexist. They both need the ball to be effective and neither spread the floor as a three point threat. Fultz and Simmons was never going to work. The 76ers should have traded Fultz for Kawhi when they had their chance. I don't know if the Spurs would have interest but I do know the 76ers did not make make him available.

With Fultz, Redick, Shamet, Zhaire, Korkmaz, Covington, Chandler, and Saric as trade assets at the time, does anyone think the couldn’t have had Leonard, Butler, and Green?

PG - Green
SG - Butler
SF - Leonard
PF - Simmons
C - Embiid

That team would be ridiculous. The only problem is being able to keep everyone.

 

[Sactown ExPat]

It's not much different than Harry, except he got drafted a tad earlier his draft year.

He's also 6'10 and potentially a full sized SF if his health returns. Which also is our weakest position.

The interesting take is the mental issues Fultz seems to have. In his own world.

Not to derail, but MPJ and Harry are worlds apart. Harry was a 3/4 combo player who could do EVERYTHING on offense and played defense. And played hard. He had two contact injuries, went through the full draft process, and was upfront with everyone. MPJ, if healthy, is still a no-defense stretch 4 chucker who can (admittedly) throw down some nice dunks. The rest of his athleticism is NBA average though—not close to the fluidity and body control of Harry, who is now a 4/5 due to injury. But, such is life.

Anyway, of course Fultz has anxiety about his game—he was the #1 pick and then all of a sudden couldn’t shoot. It’s like Superman losing his powers. Nevertheless, what he can still do today, right now, would be very beneficial to the Kings. He’d be a nice change-of-pace PG to come in, keep the offense clicking over with Bogi, clamp down on defense, and start throwing bodies around after team’s are tired from chasing Fox. It’d be our version of Thunder and Lightning. He can’t shoot? So what? We have Mason charging to the bucket, head down, and getting stuffed five times a game. Fultz would at least put some pressure on the opponent’s interior defense, as opposed to FM3.

Not on a soap box demanding the trade—would rather have a professional size SF—but Fultz would be a nice addition who would provide some valuable minutes.

 

[Gary]

Why aren't they? There won't be the expectations here. Even without Pete Y, they have an excellent training staff. There isn't a bully mentality on this roster. I think it would be a great fit.

Now, if I were the Suns or Magic I would throw a much better offer out there because he could still be the PG of the future for those teams.


I don't think taking on a 10MM commitment is at all a big deal to take a shot at elite talent.

I don't want to be his therapist. He has some major issues that a change of scenery probably wont help. Also that shoulder injury might be an issue as well.

 

[Sactown ExPat]

Ironically, last night demonstrated exactly what type of value Fultz would bring to the Kings today. It would have been nice to have Fultz to throw at Sexton and Clarkson in the first half, and also help Bogi keep the offense running and getting good shots for the second unit. Obviously, teams will go under screens when Fultz is the handler, but you can live with that as long as he is the only minus shooter on the floor. And, we could have avoided any FM3 minutes in the second half.

I’d prefer a SF, but Fultz would provide some welcome qualities to the second unit (with some intriguing upside).

 

[Kingster]

You have to take a look at him. My understanding is that the emotional issues are related to some devastating family problems. This would require A LOT of due diligence to find out what the real problems are, but that's what GMs are paid to do. No matter what though, I sure wouldn't give the 76rs much for him, and if I did trade for him I'd have a solid plan in place on how to bring him along in the organization.

 

[ppine]

I have followed Fultz since he came from DeMatha HIgh Schooll in my old neighborhood, and then played at the U of Washington. I believe he is a great talent, with some problems that are not so easy to identify. If we could get him relatively cheaply it is worth the risk. The Kings' strengths are definitely in the back court, so we may just be looking where the light is good.

 

[kb02]

For peanuts, sure. But I wouldn’t do so if it required anything more. His agent had him see like 10 specialists until he found one that said it was TOS. It’s mental. There’s film of h8m doing full court, behind the back, over head throws on his right shoulder with violent action. But then dude can’t lift his arm when he shoots while facing forward?

I rated Fultz as a scoring combo guard, who would end up being similar to Eric Gordon or OJ Mayo. He was about 4th/5th on my board. The yips thing came out of no where and kind of derailed all projections. Fix the yips and a second plus filler for him? Absolutely.

That said, outside of really safe GMs (think Pop, Bob Meyers, or Ainge), I don’t see a team trading for him. Just too much risk (not just in what you give up, but his salary). As the #1, dude is not cheap.