Can we talk *positively* about Fultz?

[Mamba Mentality]

A lot to be excited about if you're a Magic fan. Fultz looks healthy and the Magic could finally have some stability at the position, Jonathan Issac could be the next guy to make a Siakam level jump, and Gordon will be a lethal two way player. Didn't even mention the three best scorers on the team in Fournier, Vucevic, and Ross. Hopefully Steve Clifford is the right guy for the job...

[Duke4life831]

I don't want to be cold, but cant we do this for every player? Im a Duke fan, Ive followed Quinn Cook since he left Duke and that dude did the freaking grind to get a shot in the NBA, but he's considered a scrub and no one bashes an eye when that is said. Even guys that people feel are the big time slackers in the NBA like a Michael Beasley, Beasley has been in gyms all summer practicing and doing pickup games. 99% of NBA players are doing the grind and in gyms all summer long, nothing Fultz is doing is new (even for him).

I just don't get why some kind of act like criticizing Fultz is almost like off limits. People trash Anthony Bennett all the time on here, Kwame Brown was a long running joke for NBA fans for so long. Actual elite players get trashed on here all the time. So far Fultz has been a massive bust and was a catastrophe for the 6ers. They didnt just waste a #1 overall pick on him, they traded away a pick to go up and get him at #1.

If he turns it around it will be one hell of a comeback story and will be great to see. If he doesn't, he just goes down with the Bennett's, Kwame's, and other massive NBA draft busts.

[DaddyCool19]

If I was still a child, he would be my role model. Dude hustled close to 40M without actually showing anything.

He is this generations Arsene Lupin.

[youngcrev]

Fool me once...

I don't see much reason to be positive about Fultz until he actually does something on the court. This time last year we had Hanlen hyping him up over his amazing off-season and rebuilt jumper.

Not that people should be overly negative people about him... I just don't know what there is to talk about him. Nothing has changed. We have no new information.

[Dan Z]

Fool me once...

I don't see much reason to be positive about Fultz until he actually does something on the court. This time last year we had Hanlen hyping him up over his amazing off-season and rebuilt jumper.

Not that people should be overly negative people about him... I just don't know what there is to talk about him. Nothing has changed. We have no new information.

Sure we do. We have footage of him in a hoodie! He's also shooting in a gym. Excitement all around.

[GeorgeMarcus]

I don't want to be cold, but cant we do this for every player? Im a Duke fan, Ive followed Quinn Cook since he left Duke and that dude did the freaking grind to get a shot in the NBA, but he's considered a scrub and no one bashes an eye when that is said. Even guys that people feel are the big time slackers in the NBA like a Michael Beasley, Beasley has been in gyms all summer practicing and doing pickup games. 99% of NBA players are doing the grind and in gyms all summer long, nothing Fultz is doing is new (even for him).

I just don't get why some kind of act like criticizing Fultz is almost like off limits. People trash Anthony Bennett all the time on here, Kwame Brown was a long running joke for NBA fans for so long. Actual elite players get trashed on here all the time. So far Fultz has been a massive bust and was a catastrophe for the 6ers. They didnt just waste a #1 overall pick on him, they traded away a pick to go up and get him at #1.

If he turns it around it will be one hell of a comeback story and will be great to see. If he doesn't, he just goes down with the Bennett's, Kwame's, and other massive NBA draft busts.

He hasn’t been a bust because his game didn’t translate or anything like that. He’s been a bust because he mysteriously lost the ability to shoot the way he use to. Whether the basis was physical/neurological/mental his situation is completely different than the other players you mentioned.

[Buzzard]

#1 pick in the draft. He has a 2nd chance with a young team. The opportunity is there. I would love to see some Young vs Fultz epic battles come to fruition; of course with the Hawks winning them all

[X_O_Z]

Fool me once...

I don't see much reason to be positive about Fultz until he actually does something on the court. This time last year we had Hanlen hyping him up over his amazing off-season and rebuilt jumper.

Not that people should be overly negative people about him... I just don't know what there is to talk about him. Nothing has changed. We have no new information.

Back than, no one had any idea what was really wrong with him. Neither could he possibly knew about it until recently was diagnose with that TOS. If you have not been following the recent updates about him is because you haven't bother searching for them which i get it if you are a Philly fan. Now the update is out, he is healed, able to play, and will show up to training camp first thing. There is a plan and motion for him to make this work. Back than, you guys didn't really get to the bottom of it because everyone had thought it was either a mental issue, or an actuall shoulder injury, which lead to treatments that were not really helping. However, we do know now what it is and have been given the proper treatment. Time will indeed tell as well as hard work to truly determine if this will actaully work. I'll take the side of yes it will.

[Jcity08]

In all honesty, he has youth on his side, only 21, basically college senior year draft prospect, so he still has time to elevate his game. He has comparable physical profile to that of Wade and with a good shooting coach, he'll develop into a good two-way combo guard.

Fultz, Gordon, Issac could become a scary young defensive core in the near future.

[basketballRob]

I don't want to be cold, but cant we do this for every player? Im a Duke fan, Ive followed Quinn Cook since he left Duke and that dude did the freaking grind to get a shot in the NBA, but he's considered a scrub and no one bashes an eye when that is said. Even guys that people feel are the big time slackers in the NBA like a Michael Beasley, Beasley has been in gyms all summer practicing and doing pickup games. 99% of NBA players are doing the grind and in gyms all summer long, nothing Fultz is doing is new (even for him).

I just don't get why some kind of act like criticizing Fultz is almost like off limits. People trash Anthony Bennett all the time on here, Kwame Brown was a long running joke for NBA fans for so long. Actual elite players get trashed on here all the time. So far Fultz has been a massive bust and was a catastrophe for the 6ers. They didnt just waste a #1 overall pick on him, they traded away a pick to go up and get him at #1.

If he turns it around it will be one hell of a comeback story and will be great to see. If he doesn't, he just goes down with the Bennett's, Kwame's, and other massive NBA draft busts.

It's these unrealistic expectations that fans have. He's a bust because he isn't great before he even turned 21?

Even if he wasn't injured it takes young PG's a while. I thought Fox sucked when he was 20, but guess what, he worked and matured.

Sent from my SM-G965U using RealGM mobile app

[lakerz12]

He's a better point guard than Wilt Chamberlain or Yao Ming ever were.

[reload141]

Now that he's off the 76er's rooting for him to make it, and make it big.

[Duke4life831]

I don't want to be cold, but cant we do this for every player? Im a Duke fan, Ive followed Quinn Cook since he left Duke and that dude did the freaking grind to get a shot in the NBA, but he's considered a scrub and no one bashes an eye when that is said. Even guys that people feel are the big time slackers in the NBA like a Michael Beasley, Beasley has been in gyms all summer practicing and doing pickup games. 99% of NBA players are doing the grind and in gyms all summer long, nothing Fultz is doing is new (even for him).

I just don't get why some kind of act like criticizing Fultz is almost like off limits. People trash Anthony Bennett all the time on here, Kwame Brown was a long running joke for NBA fans for so long. Actual elite players get trashed on here all the time. So far Fultz has been a massive bust and was a catastrophe for the 6ers. They didnt just waste a #1 overall pick on him, they traded away a pick to go up and get him at #1.

If he turns it around it will be one hell of a comeback story and will be great to see. If he doesn't, he just goes down with the Bennett's, Kwame's, and other massive NBA draft busts.

It's these unrealistic expectations that fans have. He's a bust because he isn't great before he even turned 21?

Even if he wasn't injured it takes young PG's a while. I thought Fox sucked when he was 20, but guess what, he worked and matured.

Sent from my SM-G965U using RealGM mobile app

I don't think anyone is saying he is a bust because he hasn't looked great by the age of 21. I also don't think Fultz has had any higher of expectations of any other #1 overall draft picks.

People call him a bust, because so far 2 years into his career he has played 33 games, in those 33 games he has shown that he has completely forgot how to shoot a basketball, either it be a mid range, 3pt or FT. I agree that people throw the word bust around too liberally most of the time.

But again we are talking about a #1 overall pick that a team traded up for, that played only 33 games and when he was on the court he didnt look like an NBA player. Then that team traded him away for essentially a few 2nd round picks. As of right now, 2 years into his career, he is kind of the definition of a bust. Does he have plenty of time to change that? Of course.

[Stillwater]

I will when he does something worth talking positively about. Imagine begging people to talk positively about Anthony Bennett because he is playing in training camp

Anthony Bennett didn't fail because of injury. Even if you believe the "yips" narrative then you are talking about a mental block interfering with his regular shooting motion.

you are right but you are also wrong... Bennett should never have been taken #1 but he was definitely in the top 10 on every draft board in the world. Kid killed it in college even though it was the Mountain West and looked like a sure fire starter if nothing else.
To put it in perspective if you were not paying attention; he had a season similar to the level of impact that Brandon Clarke just had.
Some more bits:
He waited to have his shoulder surgery until after the college season despite playing through it , but he fell off a cliff after the surgery which was not successful since he couldn't make a shot to save his life , he was fat which may not have come as much surprise since he was always a round mound, but he was really out of shape coming into tc. He also had severe sleep apnea , couldn't handle the pressure of being a number #1 pick even in a historically weak draft ( except for the Bucks) etc etc.
Bennett could have been something, but clearly the pressure and expectations were too much to live up too.
I would not be surprised if his only motivation before getting drafted was $ not love of the game and being part of the fraternity, the last part is my opinion based solely on his conditioning coming into tc and the lack of obvious improvement in that area throughout his short career.
Ayyway yeah I can see getting excited for Fultz backfiring on ORL fans, but he at least looks promising and there is positive vibes around him unlike many others like Bennett

[GeorgeMarcus]

I will when he does something worth talking positively about. Imagine begging people to talk positively about Anthony Bennett because he is playing in training camp

Anthony Bennett didn't fail because of injury. Even if you believe the "yips" narrative then you are talking about a mental block interfering with his regular shooting motion.

you are right but you are also wrong... Bennett should never have been taken #1 but he was definitely in the top 10 on every draft board in the world. Kid killed it in college even though it was the Mountain West and looked like a sure fire starter if nothing else.
To put it in perspective if you were not paying attention; he had a season similar to the level of impact that Brandon Clarke just had.
Some more bits:
He waited to have his shoulder surgery until after the college season despite playing through it , but he fell off a cliff after the surgery which was not successful since he couldn't make a shot to save his life , he was fat which may not have come as much surprise since he was always a round mound, but he was really out of shape coming into tc. He also had severe sleep apnea , couldn't handle the pressure of being a number #1 pick even in a historically weak draft ( except for the Bucks) etc etc.
Bennett could have been something, but clearly the pressure and expectations were too much to live up too.
I would not be surprised if his only motivation before getting drafted was $ not love of the game and being part of the fraternity

Interesting- I wasn't aware of his shoulder injury. Sleep apnea is also a legitimate diagnosis, so yeah maybe I was unfair in my assessment.

[Duke4life831]

I don't want to be cold, but cant we do this for every player? Im a Duke fan, Ive followed Quinn Cook since he left Duke and that dude did the freaking grind to get a shot in the NBA, but he's considered a scrub and no one bashes an eye when that is said. Even guys that people feel are the big time slackers in the NBA like a Michael Beasley, Beasley has been in gyms all summer practicing and doing pickup games. 99% of NBA players are doing the grind and in gyms all summer long, nothing Fultz is doing is new (even for him).

I just don't get why some kind of act like criticizing Fultz is almost like off limits. People trash Anthony Bennett all the time on here, Kwame Brown was a long running joke for NBA fans for so long. Actual elite players get trashed on here all the time. So far Fultz has been a massive bust and was a catastrophe for the 6ers. They didnt just waste a #1 overall pick on him, they traded away a pick to go up and get him at #1.

If he turns it around it will be one hell of a comeback story and will be great to see. If he doesn't, he just goes down with the Bennett's, Kwame's, and other massive NBA draft busts.

He hasn’t been a bust because his game didn’t translate or anything like that. He’s been a bust because he mysteriously lost the ability to shoot the way he use to. Whether the basis was physical/neurological/mental his situation is completely different than the other players you mentioned.

There are many different reasons why someone ends up being a bust, whether it be his game didnt translate, injuries or mentally couldn't handle the transition.

As of right now, we don't know how much of Fultz failures are do to what. We don't know how much is him not being able to handle everything mentally, or physically or if his game really didnt translate. We don't know the % each of those things lay claim to his failures, we also don't know which of those things started this entire thing to tumble to the point where it is now.

I just don't think its all that crazy or uncalled for to say, ya 2 years in the #1 pick has played 33 games, when he has played it wasn't pretty and he has this injury that many don't really know how he got it, how serious it is, is it mental or physical. A #1 pick that basically gets traded away for an end of the bench player and some 2nd round picks 2 years in, is kind of the definition of a bust 2 years in. Again he has time to turn this around, he's only 21 and Im hoping all this was due to some shoulder injury that they figured out and now he is healthy and can be a beast.

[youngcrev]

Fool me once...

I don't see much reason to be positive about Fultz until he actually does something on the court. This time last year we had Hanlen hyping him up over his amazing off-season and rebuilt jumper.

Not that people should be overly negative people about him... I just don't know what there is to talk about him. Nothing has changed. We have no new information.

Back than, no one had any idea what was really wrong with him. Neither could he possibly knew about it until recently was diagnose with that TOS. If you have not been following the recent updates about him is because you haven't bother searching for them which i get it if you are a Philly fan. Now the update is out, he is healed, able to play, and will show up to training camp first thing. There is a plan and motion for him to make this work. Back than, you guys didn't really get to the bottom of it because everyone had thought it was either a mental issue, or an actuall shoulder injury, which lead to treatments that were not really helping. However, we do know now what it is and have been given the proper treatment. Time will indeed tell as well as hard work to truly determine if this will actaully work. I'll take the side of yes it will.

And you must not have been following him before he got to the Magic, because that TOS diagnosis was while he was still with the Sixers

[GeorgeMarcus]

I don't want to be cold, but cant we do this for every player? Im a Duke fan, Ive followed Quinn Cook since he left Duke and that dude did the freaking grind to get a shot in the NBA, but he's considered a scrub and no one bashes an eye when that is said. Even guys that people feel are the big time slackers in the NBA like a Michael Beasley, Beasley has been in gyms all summer practicing and doing pickup games. 99% of NBA players are doing the grind and in gyms all summer long, nothing Fultz is doing is new (even for him).

I just don't get why some kind of act like criticizing Fultz is almost like off limits. People trash Anthony Bennett all the time on here, Kwame Brown was a long running joke for NBA fans for so long. Actual elite players get trashed on here all the time. So far Fultz has been a massive bust and was a catastrophe for the 6ers. They didnt just waste a #1 overall pick on him, they traded away a pick to go up and get him at #1.

If he turns it around it will be one hell of a comeback story and will be great to see. If he doesn't, he just goes down with the Bennett's, Kwame's, and other massive NBA draft busts.

He hasn’t been a bust because his game didn’t translate or anything like that. He’s been a bust because he mysteriously lost the ability to shoot the way he use to. Whether the basis was physical/neurological/mental his situation is completely different than the other players you mentioned.

There are many different reasons why someone ends up being a bust, whether it be his game didnt translate, injuries or mentally couldn't handle the transition.

As of right now, we don't know how much of Fultz failures are do to what. We don't know how much is him not being able to handle everything mentally, or physically or if his game really didnt translate. We don't know the % each of those things lay claim to his failures, we also don't know which of those things started this entire thing to tumble to the point where it is now.

I just don't think its all that crazy or uncalled for to say, ya 2 years in the #1 pick has played 33 games, when he has played it wasn't pretty and he has this injury that many don't really know how he got it, how serious it is, is it mental or physical. A #1 pick that basically gets traded away for an end of the bench player and some 2nd round picks 2 years in, is kind of the definition of a bust 2 years in. Again he has time to turn this around, he's only 21 and Im hoping all this was due to some shoulder injury that they figured out and now he is healthy and can be a beast.

What I consider to be an important difference is that you can hone in on a single aspect of his game that has been affected- obliterated even- as opposed to Markelle just being generally unproductive. Sure the source of that problem can be debated to an extent, but it's not a Michael Beasley situation where his BBIQ/awareness is demonstrably poor across the board.

But in fairness to your original point, people should probably re-evaluate their lives if they're expending significant negative energy on NBA players regardless of the "why".

[basketballRob]

I don't want to be cold, but cant we do this for every player? Im a Duke fan, Ive followed Quinn Cook since he left Duke and that dude did the freaking grind to get a shot in the NBA, but he's considered a scrub and no one bashes an eye when that is said. Even guys that people feel are the big time slackers in the NBA like a Michael Beasley, Beasley has been in gyms all summer practicing and doing pickup games. 99% of NBA players are doing the grind and in gyms all summer long, nothing Fultz is doing is new (even for him).

I just don't get why some kind of act like criticizing Fultz is almost like off limits. People trash Anthony Bennett all the time on here, Kwame Brown was a long running joke for NBA fans for so long. Actual elite players get trashed on here all the time. So far Fultz has been a massive bust and was a catastrophe for the 6ers. They didnt just waste a #1 overall pick on him, they traded away a pick to go up and get him at #1.

If he turns it around it will be one hell of a comeback story and will be great to see. If he doesn't, he just goes down with the Bennett's, Kwame's, and other massive NBA draft busts.

He hasn’t been a bust because his game didn’t translate or anything like that. He’s been a bust because he mysteriously lost the ability to shoot the way he use to. Whether the basis was physical/neurological/mental his situation is completely different than the other players you mentioned.

There are many different reasons why someone ends up being a bust, whether it be his game didnt translate, injuries or mentally couldn't handle the transition.

As of right now, we don't know how much of Fultz failures are do to what. We don't know how much is him not being able to handle everything mentally, or physically or if his game really didnt translate. We don't know the % each of those things lay claim to his failures, we also don't know which of those things started this entire thing to tumble to the point where it is now.

I just don't think its all that crazy or uncalled for to say, ya 2 years in the #1 pick has played 33 games, when he has played it wasn't pretty and he has this injury that many don't really know how he got it, how serious it is, is it mental or physical. A #1 pick that basically gets traded away for an end of the bench player and some 2nd round picks 2 years in, is kind of the definition of a bust 2 years in. Again he has time to turn this around, he's only 21 and Im hoping all this was due to some shoulder injury that they figured out and now he is healthy and can be a beast.

I understand why some fans are calling him a bust. I do think some are blowing it out of proportion. We had at least one poster on the Magic board that was convinced a couple months ago that Fultz would never play again.

I guess it's like a losing streak and you're ready for your team to trade everyone and tank. Then you win a couple and then you love the players and you're talking playoffs.

If Fultz puts together a few good games and plays the entire season, all of this will be forgotten.

Sent from my SM-G965U using RealGM mobile app

[GeorgeMarcus]

Fool me once...

I don't see much reason to be positive about Fultz until he actually does something on the court. This time last year we had Hanlen hyping him up over his amazing off-season and rebuilt jumper.

Not that people should be overly negative people about him... I just don't know what there is to talk about him. Nothing has changed. We have no new information.

You're a rational poster and this is a rational opinion but one question: what's the logic behind the Magic making such a claim and opting into his contract next year if they really don't have reason to believe his situation improved?

The only thing I could come up with is building up his confidence, but as you pointed out that didn't work last year. If anything it might be harder to perform under elevated expectations. As far as his contract goes, $12.5mil is a lot for a playoff team to to commit 2 months before the deadline. I just have a hard time their FO would act that irrationally, but maybe.