After winning the 2017 NBA Draft Lottery and selecting University of Washington standout Markelle Fultz, many thought the Philadelphia 76ers had hit the jackpot. However, in what can only be described as mysterious, he sat out for the majority of the 2017-18 season with a baffling shoulder injury that left the Sixers guard's shooting stroke in shambles.

In the 14 games that he did play – albeit that one instance when he became the youngest player to record a triple-double – Fultz was largely ineffective and looked lost trying to a run an offense. During that time, he only averaged 7.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game on 40.5 percent field goal shooting and an abysmal 47.6 percent free throw clip. The guy that showed up last year was a far cry from the consensus best player from his draft that had scouts salivating with his skill set and potential.

His absence, both literally and figuratively, put a ton of pressure on Ben Simmons to create plays for others. Whenever the 2018 Rookie of the Year would sit down, you could notice how the Sixers' offense suddenly became stagnant.

After taking time this offseason to recuperate, reconstruct his jump shot, and work out, Markelle Fultz looks to be locked and loaded to rebound from a disappointing rookie campaign. As Philadelphia is touted to be one of the perennial contenders in the East, he should be one of the main guys they lean on for consistent production and leadership.

One of the ways he can help the team is by being that primary offensive attacker from the perimeter. While Simmons does possess the capability to get to the hole, his outside shot is still average at best. Sooner or later, teams will figure out how to defend him if he doesn’t improve. The same can be said about J.J. Redick, who is a phenomenal 3-point shooter but doesn’t have much to his arsenal than that.

Fultz, on the other hand, is a Swiss-Army-knifetype of player that can drive to the basket, pull up for the midrange jumper, post up smaller players, and even step out beyond the arc. His wide selection of moves will do a lot in adding a new dimension to the Sixers' offense. In instances when their standard sets aren’t working, they can just give the rock to Fultz and watch as he creates his own opportunity.

Having him back will help space the floor, giving Joel Embiid and Simmons enough room to work more efficiently down low.

Aside from his scoring prowess, his presence also adds another facilitator to a roster that severely lacked it. In his lone season with the Huskies, Fultz proved that he could create opportunities for his teammates, as evidenced by his 5.9 assists per game averages. Being a starting guard or leader of the bench mob, it is not farfetched to predict that he comes close to those numbers, especially when he gets more familiar with each of their tendencies.

Despite needing to have the ball in his hands to be effective, a trio of Fultz, Simmons, and Embiid would wreak havoc on opposing defenses. Each of them is a capable shot maker and won’t hesitate to make the extra pass. Having a stud like Markelle Fultz back will create better shots not only for his fellow young stars but also the rest of the team.

Finally, “Quick Wash”, as he is fondly called, is a clutch player Philadelphia can turn to when the game is on the line. There were many instances, especially when The Process was out when everyone looked flustered in crunch time. Fultz should be able to fill this need and be the stabilizing force the team is craving for.

Now that Fultz is back and ready to make up for lost time, Sixers fans should be excited because the final piece to the puzzle is here. Right now, it will just boil down to execution and realizing that potential. Once they figure things out, however, they should be one of the best young teams in all of basketball.