Markelle Fultz Discussion

[LloydFree]

Right, and we traded up for that player, but now he's off ball all the time, doesn't shoot (no one could have foreseen that though), isn't known as a plus defender. He shouldn't be ISOing ever, he should be running PnRs as often as he can in games.

It's like drafting Damian Lillard and putting him at SG. You take something that's a plus on him, being a pretty big PG, and minimize it by turning him into a spot up shooting undersized SG.

Now, they could be just minimizing his responsibilities because he's young, but if the long term play is to be, best case scenario, Beal or McCollum, then it's a little perplexing to me. Especially because he traded up for him.

??? Beal or McCollum was always his upside. If he becomes that, then this transaction becomes a success. If anything, I don't get why you use those picks to pick a 18 year old and have to wait 4 years for him to become Beal or McCollum. Just trade the picks for McCollum and avoid the risk.

You keep saying stuff like this like you have a crystal ball. There are people that have actually done more than watch Fultz play 6 college games on TV that don't speak in such absolutes about the guy.

I see a whole bunch guys speaking in absolutes about the guy. Such as "he's future superstar" and "he was clearly the best talent in the draft". And a lot of those guys that have said that, didn't watch one full game of Fultz live or on TV.

[Negrodamus]

Don’t we all remember the hype MCW received after he smoked Miami in his first game, then the hyperbole that was Noel?

Now look at those two, neither is very good, let’s see Fultz play at least a season before we decide if if he was the wrong pick.

If Fultz is hurt then he shouldn’t play at all, if he’s healthy he needs to start and get 25-30 minutes a night. That way he hits the wall this February, not February of 2019 when we need him.

These guys all need to figure out how to play together and the sooner we put a consistent starting 5 on the floor, the better team they’ll be.

Noel-

20 minutes
16 points 6-6FG (100%) 4-4 FT (100%)
11 rebounds
3 blocks
1 steal
0 fouls
0 turnovers
+9 off the bench last night.

Good point.

[Kobblehead]

I'm pleased with what I see from Fultz, athletically. I had apprehensions about his athleticism in college, but maybe that was because he was playing in such a neutral gear. In the preseason and last night, he looked way more explosive than I'd imagined he would. He's not Dennis Smith or John Wall, but I actually consider him in the "plus athlete" category now.

My optimism for him has grown. My only worries with him now are confidence-related. And nutritionally.

[James40]

How many teams were dying to get Noel on their roster this past offseason??

Let me guess, he just took that contract so he could stay in Dallas.

[JojoSlimbiid]

I think Fultz will be more productive than Okafor. Not being a good defender as a guard isn't as bad as not being a good defender at Center. Plus Fultz has tools to be a good defender. His game fits the modern way of basketball unlike Okafor. But we gave up nothing for Okafor. Moving up to get Fultz could cost us Porter Jr or Bagley or Doncic or Ayton or Bamba. We could have taken Josh Jackson or DSJ or Fultz at 3 and then gotten another high quality player. Now that's up in the air considering where the Lakers or Kings pick falls. But my point is BC and the staff knew exactly what Simmons could do. He practiced with them in camp last year. They worked with him. Don't make any excuses for drafting Fultz. We just have to try to make the best of a less than ideal situation.

Who is making excuses? We had no idea what we had with Ben so we drafted the best offensive talent irregardless of play style fit or how we plan to use him. The point is that he's a versatile enough offensive player and checked so many boxes that we took him even though lesser talent might have fit this particular system. It was the smart organizational thing to do because guess what we aren't going to always be running this system.

But that's the disconnect between us. I think the staff did know what they had in Simmons. It just wasn't seen in actual games. They saw in practice what he could do.

So you make a decision in the top 3 in the draft because of how a guy looks in practice after missing a year with an injury? Ridiculous.

[LloydFree]

Right, and we traded up for that player, but now he's off ball all the time, doesn't shoot (no one could have foreseen that though), isn't known as a plus defender. He shouldn't be ISOing ever, he should be running PnRs as often as he can in games.

It's like drafting Damian Lillard and putting him at SG. You take something that's a plus on him, being a pretty big PG, and minimize it by turning him into a spot up shooting undersized SG.

Now, they could be just minimizing his responsibilities because he's young, but if the long term play is to be, best case scenario, Beal or McCollum, then it's a little perplexing to me. Especially because he traded up for him.

??? Beal or McCollum was always his upside. If he becomes that, then this transaction becomes a success. If anything, I don't get why you use those picks to pick a 18 year old and have to wait 4 years for him to become Beal or McCollum. Just trade the picks for McCollum and avoid the risk.

That's his upside to you. In my opinion, you draft him #1 to be the Lillard type point guard. Even if he doesn't reach that level, he needs the ball in his hands quite a bit. That's why I would have taken Tatum 3rd overall and had an off ball scorer (who can play ISO when needed). That makes more sense to me. Donovan Mitchell plays great defense and has a nice shot. That's an off ball player that would make sense.

I agree. That's the type of player you draft #1. But the player has to have those attributes. Fultz doesn't have the quick twitch, speed or burst of Damien Lillard, IMO. If you wanted a Damien Lillard type player, they should have taken Dennis Smith.

[Negrodamus]

How many teams were dying to get Noel on their roster this past offseason??

Let me guess, he just took that contract so he could stay in Dallas.

Coming off an injury and was put on another team mid season. Teams might have been apprehensive to bury a max contract into him. Maybe he's betting on himself and wouldn't take anything less than a max deal.

If you don't see the talent of Noel, then I don't know what to tell you.

[Kobblehead]

This thread is probably about to get locked for the page threshold.

[James40]

How many teams were dying to get Noel on their roster this past offseason??

Let me guess, he just took that contract so he could stay in Dallas.

Coming off an injury and was put on another team mid season. Teams might have been apprehensive to bury a max contract into him. Maybe he's betting on himself and wouldn't take anything less than a max deal.

If you don't see the talent of Noel, then I don't know what to tell you.

Talented yes, so is Jay Cutler, he’s another million dollar arm with a .10 cent head. Guy’s his size with his athleticism don’t grow on trees, but something hasn’t clicked upstairs or he would of been paid by a team.

He didn’t fall to the 6th pick just because of his ACL tear.

[Unbreakable99]

This thread is probably about to get locked for the page threshold.

Go ahead and start another thread. Someone lock this up. Hopefully the next Fultz thread will be our lucky charm and bring his shot form back.