The Cleveland Cavaliers are rumored to have had talks with the Philadelphia 76ers centered around Markelle Fultz, per Sam Amico of Amico Hoops. The Sixers appear to be losing patience on Fultz after the Jimmy Butler trade forged a more competitive roster for Philly. Meanwhile, the Cavs appear to remain in rebuild mode — although the front office may vehemently deny it.
The top overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Fultz has seen his first year and change in the NBA tread a disappointing path, to say the least. Coming out of college, Markelle Fultz was touted as the consensus top pick in a deep draft class.
However, a freak shoulder injury has put a major dent on him — both physically and mentally. It's been so bad for Fultz that the Sixers are reportedly considering him no longer part of their future plans. With Butler, Joel Embiid, and Ben Simmons established as the team's Big Three, Fultz's camp may be looking elsewhere for the youngster to continue his recovery and finally begin a legitimate developmental plan.
After losing LeBron James in the summer, the Cavs have fallen into the bottomfeeders' row among NBA teams. Kevin Love is out with an injury until the new year and J.R. Smith has played his last game for the wine and gold. The franchise's lone source of satisfaction has been the progress being made by rookie Collin Sexton.
George Hill's injury has been a blessing in disguise for the former Alabama Crimson Tide. As a starter, Sexton had seen a dramatic spike in his numbers. Over the last eight games, Sexton has averaged 19.6 points on 50 percent field-goal shooting and an unreal 55-percent accuracy from long distance.
Sexton's presence makes a potential Markelle Fultz trade even more tricky. Not only do the Cavs have to satisfy the Sixers' demand, but they'd also have to be extra creative if Sexton and Fultz end up in the same backcourt.
As stated above, the Cavs are not in the business of aiming for the playoffs this season. However, they do have a number of players that have enough experience to possibly entice the win-now Sixers in a deal. Atop the list is sharpshooter Kyle Korver who could fill a huge hole in Philly's armory as a long-range sniper. He's also been rumored to be on the Sixers' wishlist.
The Cavs recently dealt the Sixers their first home loss of the season in a game where Markelle Fultz did not play.
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