Markelle Fultz Discussion

[Unbreakable99]

Serious question- who's starting at PG on opening night?

Bayless or TJ?

Ben Simmons is starting at PG on opening night. Bayless will be the shooting guard that defends the opposition PG.

Wait. Reddick is coming off the bench?!

Redick starts. Ben is our PG. Bayless starts. Covington starts. Embiid starts.

[Kobblehead]

Wait. Reddick is coming off the bench?!

Bayless and Redick will be the starting backcourt to begin the season.

[LloydFree]

I think Dennis Smith hit the ground running because he's a far superior athlete and other players can't guard him. Average athletes have to develop tricks to free themselves from NBA defenders.

It's actually hilarious how little you know about basketball. What isn't hilarious is the fact that you're 100% serious with your takes.

I have a different take on Fultz than LloydB but this part seems pretty non-controversial. Smith's game starts with his ability to run around and through defenders so he could come right in and create right away; Fultz is more about finding rhythm and using his skill within space and he'll need a while to adjust to NBA space and speed. Nothing to disagree with there.

Right now, I don't see it with Fultz. But you and Phillyfinest are my hope that I have a major blind spot with Fultz. You 2 guys actually watch the games and still had him as legit #1. So I'm waiting to see what I've missed. Watching the 76ers pss away assets through what looks like gross incompetence (with a chance to create a dynasty) is frustrating.

So far the best thing about the 2017 draft for me, is that Boston didn't have the good sense to take Josh Jackson or Dennis Smith, and all of the difference making talent, except Isaac, went out West.

[eagereyez]

I thought Markelle Fultz had a terrible scoring style at Washington. I was a strong believer that it was never going to translate to an NBA scheme. I think him having to re-invent himself, offensively, is something that was necessary.

I actually like the fact that Fultz is focusing on penetrating and getting FGAs off at the rim. I think establishing himself as a dangerous slasher will open everything else up for him. I hope that the only time he shoots from distance is on assisted FGAs.

I think Dennis Smith hit the ground running in the NBA because he had a far superior offensive playstyle to Fultz. Markelle is playing catch-up. That year in Washington promoted a lot of bad habits.

I think Dennis Smith hit the ground running because he's a far superior athlete and other players can't guard him. Average athletes have to develop tricks to free themselves from NBA defenders.

It's actually hilarious how little you know about basketball. What isn't hilarious is the fact that you're 100% serious with your takes.

He's also 100% correct. Fultz is a finesse player. DSJ is an elite athlete. Fultz will take longer to develop into a winning player.

[Kobblehead]

all of the difference making talent, except Isaac, went out West.

Yeah, when you frame it like that, it's easy to see why the East is always so weak.

[Ericb5]

Ben Simmons is starting at PG on opening night. Bayless will be the shooting guard that defends the opposition PG.

Wait. Reddick is coming off the bench?!

Redick starts. Ben is our PG. Bayless starts. Covington starts. Embiid starts.

The thing is that point guard is a role, and not a position. Simmons will be the point guard, but he will play with two other guys that will defend the other team’s guards.

Bayless will defend the other team’s point guards generally, but he doesn’t have the point guard role on our team.


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[Unbreakable99]

Wait. Reddick is coming off the bench?!

Redick starts. Ben is our PG. Bayless starts. Covington starts. Embiid starts.

The thing is that point guard is a role, and not a position. Simmons will be the point guard, but he will play with two other guys that will defend the other team’s guards.

Bayless will defend the other team’s point guards generally, but he doesn’t have the point guard role on our team.


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Well yeah. Simmons’ role is PG. Simmons won’t defend PGs but he will be our PG.

[HotelVitale]

It's actually hilarious how little you know about basketball. What isn't hilarious is the fact that you're 100% serious with your takes.

I have a different take on Fultz than LloydB but this part seems pretty non-controversial. Smith's game starts with his ability to run around and through defenders so he could come right in and create right away; Fultz is more about finding rhythm and using his skill within space and he'll need a while to adjust to NBA space and speed. Nothing to disagree with there.

Right now, I don't see it with Fultz. But you and Phillyfinest are my hope that I have a major blind spot with Fultz. You 2 guys actually watch the games and still had him as legit #1. So I'm waiting to see what I've missed. Watching the 76ers pss away assets through what looks like gross incompetence (with a chance to create a dynasty) is frustrating.

I don't know if you're missing anything exactly, my guess is I just see capacity for higher volume than you do. To my eyes his pull up game was too effortless and consistent, and his driving and finishing in traffic was solid enough that I saw a clear path to 20/5/5 for him. All that stuff will be available in the NBA and there's even more space for him to work within, and if he can just keep attacking like he did and hitting the type of shots he did he'll be at least good. At the same time, my first thought about him was that he seemed to play needlessly slow and didn't have the steady motor and determination of guys like Harden and D Russell (other prospects who lacked quickness but used space well). It's also possible I took his shooting for granted more than I should've, thought he was a shoe-in to be a high volume guy with average %s at worst.

In any case, him being my #1 was more about seeing a lower realistic ceiling for Jackson than most and liking-not-loving DSJ and Tatum (not sure DSJ will ever have a mode aside from 'dominate ball and get mine' and I'm skeptical about Tatum's range and finishing). This year was weird since I really thought my top 5 was about even, and pulled Fultz out as the one with the highest combo of safety+upside, even though I'm wary of top picks without great athleticism or preternatural feel. I would probably still take him #1 despite the shaky preseason and shooting form comedy. (Well #2, after future 1st ballot hall of famer Kuzma.)

[Jkam31]

I just went to the Celtics board. Most of them are trashing Fultz lol. When they got the top pick and it looked like they were taking Fultz you couldn’t tell them anything about Fultz. They all mainly said he was the best prospect. Now they are trashing them lol. They are a strange bunch.

They also say Kyrie is the second best pg but he wasn’t better than IT in June


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[OzCastiel]

Can we start drug testing before people do deals with Danny, or at least wiretapping these phone calls to see what he has on these people. Gave up a better prospect and an additional pick for a guy who looks like an afterthought.

[Kobblehead]

I know the early impression of Fultz isn't exactly a favorable one, but do people think Jayson Tatum is really going to be a better player than him?

[bball4life]

I know the early impression of Fultz isn't exactly a favorable one, but do people think Jayson Tatum is really going to be a better player than him?

Seriously. People need to chill out a little bit here. Let's at least wait until Fultz is healthy and exhibits shooting form that doesn't look like me when I try to shoot with the wrong hand before determining him a bust.

Tatum on the other hand looked over matched in the preseason exhibiting all the signs of a tweener who will struggle in the NBA. He is starting for the Celtics only because Morris apparently has a bad knee and they literally have no one else on the roster who could start at PF, unless you think Yabadabadoo is a starting caliber PF.

[76ciology]

There are two kinds of people in this world.

ProkaFultz and Nokafultz

[LloydFree]

I know the early impression of Fultz isn't exactly a favorable one, but do people think Jayson Tatum is really going to be a better player than him?

Same tier. Neither should have been drafted in the top 3-4 picks.

[spikeslovechild]

I don't think we have enough information on Fultz to make a determination either way. I mean even if he had played and wasn't injured it would still be too early.

However, I will say with 100 percent certainity ball will bust. Dude can't shoot he needs to rework his entire shooting motion.

Good luck with that lakers.

[76ciology]

Currently, the only flaw I see with Fultz is that he has a lot of questions with his FT and finishing around the rim.

But he has shown promise on several areas such as:
- playmaking
Some say the team plays as good or even better with him at PG
- shooting
He shot 40% from 3s in SL
- get to the rim
He's probably one of the top guys in getting to the rim in all the games he played in SL and PS
- defense
Blocks in SL, team and man D on SL and PS

As Sixers fans, we were just spoiled after getting transcendent rookies like Okafor (i kid), Biid and Ben Simmons. NBA ready rookie in Okafor (17ppg as a rookie). And bigs (they say has small learning curve). We kind of forget that guards like Harden and DLo took 2-3 seasons before they were able to play at high level.

Well, we can start Fultz and max his usage this season. But will we win more? How will it affect Ben and Biid? Both are quite old as a rookie and sophomore that I dont think they can have a season to accomodate Fultz.

I see this case similar with RW and KD back then. Both guys are ready to roll. Harden was a mess, relative to star guard standard. So they have to lessen Harden's usage and have him play off the bench.

Difference with our team is Ben, Biid and Fultz fits better than RW, KD and Harden. Eventually, Ben Biid and Fultz will start. If that doesn't happen by next season or two, then thats the time u worry

[HotelVitale]

Can we start drug testing before people do deals with Danny, or at least wiretapping these phone calls to see what he has on these people. Gave up a better prospect and an additional pick for a guy who looks like an afterthought.

I don't think Fultz has been that impressive, but can you tell me why you thought he was bad so far, or what gives you the impression he's an 'afterthought'?

[Ericb5]

There are people that have been skeptical of him for a long time, but a lot of the current general agita about him will subside after the first game where he scores 22 points and hits 4 3’s.

He looked really good in the summer league, but his training camp and preseason has basically been a dud.

As long as we figure out what the heck is going on with his shoulder and his shooting form the rest will fall into place, and we will be back to his expected rookie season.

People expecting him to dominate or even consistently play well as a rookie are getting a wake up call, but there is no reason to worry about him yet.

Apparently he is going to be eased into the lineup, and that probably means that his numbers won’t be good in the first few months of the season. Let’s see where we are at Christmas.


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[Unbreakable99]

Justin Anderson said Fultz is special. I’m going to trust his judgement and ride with him and hope he’s right.

[Negrodamus]

He looked really good in the summer league, but his training camp and preseason has basically been a dud.

If you remove the shooting narrative, he actually has looked pretty impressive this preseason, at least to me. Played solid defense and attacked the hoop. I think many are blinded by his free throw form.