The 2018 NBA Draft came and went without the Philadelphia 76ers pulling the trigger on a potential deal. However, that does not mean the Sixers ruled out fielding interest on point guard Markelle Fultz.

The Sixers have been adamant about wanting to keep Fultz around. According to Keith Pompey of the Philadelphia Inquirer, these reports were refuted by rumors of Philadelphia shopping him on draft night:

The Sixers say they aren’t shopping him. However, there was a report that they had internal discussions about packing him with Nos. 10 and 26 picks to move up into the Top 5 in Thursday’s draft. And multiple league sources have said that Fultz was available to be traded.

But it’s hard to get equal value in return for trading someone relearning how to shoot. The Sixers know that. They also know that if things do come together, Fultz will be a special player. He has the potential to become the type of player they would regret trading away.

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Philadelphia's interest in Fultz is a complete turnaround from how they felt last year when they made him the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. It seems his tumultuous rookie campaign has shaken their belief in his fit with the team.

The Sixers obviously have some major decisions to make if they are going to compete for a championship in the near future. This year's playoff run showed that they are potentially a superstar player away from ruling the East as soon as next season. Needless to say, there are a number of such players set to hit the market this offseason. As a result, the Sixers have appeared at the forefront of almost every rumored potential deal.

Aside from Cleveland Cavaliers small forward LeBron James, the Sixers are said to be in pursuit of San Antonio Spurs small forward Kawhi Leonard as well. Although Philadelphia may have some assets to put an offer on the table for San Antonio, using Fultz as the foundation of such a deal leaves no guarantee that they will accept it. That said, they may have to wait and see what his value is before making a deal.