Let’s Talk About Markelle Fultz
We’ve all seen the clips of Markelle Fultz at the free throw line. They’re ugly. Hideous in fact, and they’re indicative of more substantial shooting woes. Fultz has hit on just 33.3 percent of his total field goals for the year, and only 50.0 percent of his free throws.
What’s most unsettling is that Fultz has completely abandoned his jump shot. He hasn’t attempted a single three-pointer, and only 7 of his 27 total field goal attempts have come from further than 10 feet from the hoop. Take a look at his shot chart to date (courtesy of Swish 2.0).
The distribution of Fultz’s shots profiles more like a bricky big afraid to leave the paint than it does the league’s next great point guard. It’s decidedly uninspiring, and even more so unexpected. Fultz was an efficient, high-volume shooter in college. He’ll need to recover that style of play if he wants to fulfill his potential.
The Sixers have been relatively cryptic in their discussion of Fultz’s performance. The organization has pinned his reluctance to shoot the ball and inability to do so effectively from the free throw line on a lingering shoulder injury.
They’ve taken a strange stance in that regard. If Fultz is injured to a degree that his play has been compromised, then it would seem wise for the Sixers to shut him down until he feels better.
This is a franchise that has been cautious and patient enough to wait a full year (or more) before playing multiple top draft picks (Nerlens Noel, Joel Embiid, and Ben Simmons), and yet is suddenly unwilling to rest its newest prospect for a few weeks.
Something doesn’t quite add up. Maybe the team feels that as long as there is no risk of further injury Fultz should play. Head coach Brett Brown reiterated to the Phildelphia Inquirer’s Keith Pompey that the medical staff is not concerned about any long-term impacts of playing in the present.
“I’m advised mostly by the medical people,” he said.” That’s what I get worried about the most, and nobody has any fears.”
Perhaps Philadelphia feels that the benefits of experience outweigh the potential pitfalls of playing while injured. Fultz is learning the pace and feel of the NBA game, despite his timidity shooting the ball.
He’s shown some effectiveness breaking down defenders off the dribble, and made some encouraging passes when defenses collapse.
He’s been close to passable on defense as well, using his length to disrupt opponents, and recover from some of his lapses. That qualifies as good for a rookie.
And yet, attempting to develop Fultz’s game without a skill that projected as a primary component of it seems foolish. Teams are already taking note. Look at how little concern for Fultz Kyle Lowry shows in the image below.
There is a world of space between the two, and it’s allowed the Raptors to completely clog the lane. Lowry seemed to take particular delight in sagging off of Fultz, but the whole team got in on the action. Here’s a quick look at Delon Wright abandoning him to head off a cut by Ben Simmons.
It’s not just off ball where Fultz’s nonexistent shooting hurts either. Teams will go under screens, and dare him to shoot the from distance, until he proves that doing so is untenable.
The NBA’s most effective guards punish teams for slacking off like that. If Fultz isn’t able to pick up his dribble and credibly attempt a three-point shot in such scenarios, then he isn’t the player everyone hoped he would be coming out of the draft.
He can still add value regardless. There are plenty of long, shifty guards with limited range in the NBA. Unless Fultz turns into a DRASTICALLY better finisher, however, he won’t be anything close to a star, without regaining his shooting stroke. What’s worse, he’ll make almost no sense within the context of Philadelphia’s long-term plans.
They already have a bigger, more dynamic ball handler in Ben Simmons, and post up monster in Joel Embiid, both of whom will be more effective with a well-spaced floor. A non-shooting Fultz doesn’t provide enough on the defensive end or as a secondary creator to fit beside them in a coherent way.
He could slide into a bench role, and lead secondary units as a primary ball handler. That’s not an ideal outcome for a number one overall pick, let alone one whom you traded what is likely to be another high draft pick to select. Let’s not go to that dark of a place just yet though.
This all very well may be much ado about nothing. The Sixers have played four games. It’s entirely possible that Fultz’s shoulder really is just too sore to be shooting from outside of the paint. If that’s the case Philadelphia should sit him until he’s right.
If something else is at play, then things are more concerning. Fultz deserves a lot more time before we enter into full fledged panic mode, but his situation is worth monitoring.
This piece was written by High Off The Glass creator, contributor, and editor in chief Greg Cassoli. He has an unhealthy obsession with NBA basketball.
