Former No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz never found his stride in Philadelphia. In fact, he was starting to look like one of the biggest draft busts in history.
With myriad shoulder problems and mysterious shooting issues suddenly plaguing his career, there were questions as to whether or not Fultz could get back on track.
However, after being traded to the Orlando Magic last February, Fultz is starting to gain new life in Orlando.
Though he is playing just over 23 minutes per game, Fultz has shown flashes of his explosive athleticism and playmaking capability. Most importantly, head coach Steve Clifford has made Fultz the starting point guard.
Clifford told Josh Robbins of The Athletic that Fultz as the starter gives the Magic more roster flexibility and options with respect to their personnel:
Clifford and his assistant coaches have discussed starting Fultz for a while now, and they believe Fultz’s ability to drive into the lane will spark starters Evan Fournier, Aaron Gordon, Jonathan Isaac and Nikola Vucevic, potentially creating opportunities for spot-up 3s. Meanwhile, moving Augustin to the second unit gives the bench another outside shooter to complement struggling sixth man Terrence Ross, who has been unable to get many open looks.
“It gives our lineup more balance,” Clifford said. “With both the first unit and the second unit, we have a better chance to play better.”
Fultz started against the Denver Nuggets on Saturday, scoring nine points on 4-of-7 shooting while acting as a disruptor on the defensive end with three steals.
It remains to be seen whether or not Fultz can earn more minutes, but Clifford — after leading the Magic to a stunning playoff appearance last season — is one of the smartest coaches in the league. No doubt he understands what needs to be done to give Fultz the opportunity to develop.
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