It appears the long and mystifying saga of Markelle Fultz will see no resolution in 2018-19. The former no.1 overall pick of the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2017 NBA draft has seen just 33 games of action in his first two professional campaigns, as a shoulder issue lead to shooting issues. In those 33 games, he has posted averages of 7.7 points and 3.4 assist per game on 41.4 percent from the floor, 26.7 percent from three-point range and 53.4 from the foul line.
The Sixers felt they had been patient enough and on February 7, traded him to Orlando for Jonathon Simmons, OKC’s top 20 protected 2020 pick and Orlando’s second round pick this year.
Fultz continues to rehabilitate from the finally diagnosed thoracic outlet syndrome that seemed to be cause of his shooting issues.
Magic head coach Steve Clifford had this to say to SiriusXM radio about Fultz and the prospect of him playing this season:
“He’s still rehabbing his shoulder, and he’s not even able to really do much on the floor yet. It’s a pretty significant shoulder injury. I would say he’s starting to do a little bit, but it would be very difficult for him to get back this year.”
Hopefully Fultz rehabilitation goes well and in 2019-20 we can see some semblance of the player the 76ers took with the no.1 overall pick.
