NBA Season Preview 2019-20: Every team’s biggest question

Orlando Magic: Where in the world is Markelle Fultz?

At this point, you’d be forgiven if you’d forgotten that Markelle Fultz is still an active NBA player. Following his trade to Orlando this past February, he didn’t appear in a single game, essentially vanishing from the public radar entirely as the Magic made a surprise run to the Eastern Conference’s 7-seed without him.

Well, it appears he’s back. At the end of September, the Magic’s team account shared a video of a seemingly healthy Fultz participating in basketball activities and — most importantly — shooting the ball with a form that seems more or less acceptable. There’s now visible progress, it seems, and it’s likely that Fultz will make his debut for his new team very soon.

Now, we have to consider what Fultz could bring to an NBA court at this point in time. Even despite his shoulder injury and busted shooting form, he showed flashes of effectiveness during his tenure in Philadelphia. His length and athleticism give him upside defensively and on the glass, and he has the ability to stuff the stat sheet — remember his triple-double in Game 82 of his rookie season?

The opportunity ahead of Fultz is obvious. As a team, the Magic remain relatively thin at the point guard position. D.J. Augustin has enjoyed a mini-revival in recent years in his starting role, but their only real backup is the perpetually underwhelming Michael Carter-Williams. If Fultz is finally, mercifully healthy, this could be the NBA breakthrough he’s been working for.

The ultimate question remains the same as ever: Can he shoot? His viability in an NBA rotation likely depends upon the answer.