NBA Season Preview 2018-19: Every team’s biggest question
By Ben Ladner
Philadelphia 76ers: How effective is Markelle Fultz?
Perhaps the single biggest variable in the Eastern Conference, Fultz’s health and confidence will create a drastic swing in Philadelphia’s regular season win total and playoff ceiling. After a profoundly strange and mostly lost first year in the NBA, Fultz will essentially function as a free-agent acquisition this year, likely coming off the bench as a scorer and facilitator in second units – at least to start the season. Fultz’s offensive talent was unquestioned coming out of Washington – he could slither to the basket with a variety of moves, finish crafty layups around big men and manipulate the defense with his handle and shiftiness. Those elements all remain in his game, but they became mitigated by the complete disappearance of Fultz’s jumpshot prior to his rookie season.
The reason for Fultz’s bizarre shooting troubles hardly matter at this point, and we won’t have an idea of how far he’s progressed until he actually makes shots in an NBA game. A return to his college shooting prowess would unlock a new range of possibilities for Fultz and the Sixers, who would be able to deploy the young guard more often with Ben Simmons, who poses questions about his own jumper. Fultz appeared stronger and more explosive at the end of last season than he was in college; combining that increased physicality with his refined skill set and a respectable jumpshot would fundamentally change how Philadelphia is perceived in the Eastern Conference Finals discussion.