Markelle Fultz

5 surprising NBA free agents (Markelle Fultz!) not currently signed before the season

How did NO ONE scoop Markelle Fultz?!

With the 2024-25 NBA season about to soon begin, there are several notable players who are shockingly unemployed.

It is not terribly surprising when notable veterans eventually age out of the market and do not settle on a home before the new season tips off. There are a few examples of that around the league right now (e.g. Robert Covington, Jae Crowder, JaVale McGee, Bismack Biyombo, and Justin Holiday) just like every other year.

Meanwhile, there are typically high draft picks who didn’t exactly reach their potential (e.g. Killian Hayes, James Bouknight, Kevin Knox, and James Bouknight) readily available as well.

But when slightly younger players who have shown promise do not have anywhere to play, it deserves a bit more of an eyebrow raise. Here are some of those names.

Once the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft who never quite materialized, it was exciting to see Fultz reinvent himself over the past few seasons in Orlando. During the 2022-23 campaign, he started all 60 games he played for the Magic while averaging a career-high 14.0 points to go with 5.7 assists per game. But after some shooting regression last season, Fultz did not yet land a new NBA contract.

Dennis Smith Jr.

Perhaps the most puzzling player who is not currently signed to an NBA deal is Dennis Smith Jr., who likely won’t have to wait too long until a team seeks out his services. Last season, per dunksandthrees, Smith ranked in the 98th percentile among all players in Defensive Estimated Plus-Minus. With his remarkable athleticism, he should have a spot in the league again soon.

Oshae Brissett

Celtics executive Brad Stevens said that Oshae Brissett was “terrific” for Boston during their championship season, but the wing did not return to the roster or find a new home. Brissett seems ready to get back in the league as soon as possible with the right situation.

Lonnie Walker IV

While he got a look from Boston this offseason and scoring as many as 20 points in a preseason appearance, Lonnie Walker IV did not make the roster this year. He is reportedly getting looks from teams overseas, but if he stays patient, an opportunity in the NBA could present itself again soon.

Nassir Little

Another interesting free agent who is currently available is Nassir Little. After beginning his career with the Portland Trail Blazers and spending last season with the Phoenix Suns, the 24-year-old forward played the preseason for the Heat. He did not make the roster but could become an underrated free agency signing for a different franchise.

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NBA draft rewind: Sixers select Markelle Fultz No. 1 overall in 2017

The Philadelphia 76ers selected Markelle Fultz with the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft.

With the 2024 NBA draft approaching quickly–Round 1 of the draft is set for June 26–now is the time to look back at some of the previous draft picks the Philadelphia 76ers have made in recent years.

The Sixers entered the 2017 draft on a high note. Joel Embiid was finally able to play in the 2016-17 season and showed off the immense talent and potential that the team was banking on and Ben Simmons was ready to make his debut after missing the entire season.

The Sixers then traded up from No. 3 to No. 1 in a deal with the Boston Celtics to select Markelle Fultz out of Washington. He averaged 23.2 points, 5.9 assists, and 5.7 rebounds while shooting 41.3% from deep as a freshman with the Huskies.

The Fultz era in Philadelphia was strange, to say the least. He suffered through a bizarre shoulder injury and was later diagnosed with thoracic outlet syndrome which limited him to just 33 games across two seasons with the Sixers. Injuries limited him to just 14 games as a rookie and averaged 7.1 points, 3.8 assists, and 3.1 rebounds.

Fultz was traded to the Orlando Magic at the 2019 deadline and has since been able to get it together when he is healthy. He’s averaged 11.6 points, 4.8 assists, and 3.4 rebounds while shooting 48% from the floor during his time with the Magic. Hardly numbers worthy of a No. 1 pick, but he has shown he can be a starting point guard in this league.

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Markelle Fultz wishes Sixers were more patient with his injury recovery

Markelle Fultz wishes the Philadelphia 76ers showed a bit more patience with him with his injury recovery.

The Philadelphia 76ers made a big move in the 2017 NBA draft when they sent the No. 3 pick to the Boston Celtics to move up to the No. 1 pick and select Markelle Fultz out of Washington. The idea was he would help the Sixers move closer to a championship.

Unfortunately, Fultz dealt with a bizarre shoulder injury and played 33 games across two seasons in Philadelphia before being sent to the Orlando Magic at the 2019 deadline

Now healthy, Fultz is one of the reasons the Magic are considered a team on the rise, joining Paolo Banchero and Franz Wagner.

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Fultz is thankful for his time in Philadelphia, but he wishes they were more patient with him. The former No. 1 overall pick hopped on “The Knuckleheads Podcast” with former NBA players Quentin Richardson and Darius Miles and said:

I had my supports and stuff like that, you know, and I’m thankful for the Sixers organization and everything they did for me, but I don’t know. It was a weird situation. Again, I understand that it’s a business and again, I understand now the business and in and outs of everything so again, I was thankful to be able to be moved to somewhere where I had a second chance and an opportunity to grow and they wanted to win. I wish I had a chance to to help them because I really feel like I could’ve helped them win if they were patient and let me get healthy, but at the same time I’m thankful for everything that they did for me, and everything worked out good.

Fultz isn’t lighting the world on fire in Orlando, but he is a legitimate starting point guard in the NBA. He averaged 14 points, 5.7 assists and 3.9 rebounds while shooting 51.4% from the floor in the 2022-23 season. Joel Embiid offered respect to Fultz after he made his return to Philadelphia as an opponent in January.

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Joel Embiid gives love, respect to former Sixers guard Markelle Fultz

The Philadelphia 76ers have a lot of love and respect for former teammate Markelle Fultz, now with the Orlando Magic.

PHILADELPHIA — The Philadelphia 76ers made a big move in the 2017 NBA draft when they sent the No. 3 pick to the Boston Celtics to move up to the No. 1 pick and select Markelle Fultz out of Washington. The idea was he would help the Sixers move closer to a championship.

Unfortunately, Fultz dealt with a bizarre shoulder injury and played only 33 games across two seasons in Philadelphia before being sent to the Orlando Magic at the 2019 deadline.

After dealing with more injuries in Orlando, Fultz played his first game back in Philadelphia on Monday, a 119-109 win for the Magic, and he had 12 points and 10 assists in the win.

“That’s actually crazy that that was his first game back here, but I’ve always been a big fan of him,” said Joel Embiid of Fultz. “I talk to him, and when we did trade him, I was disappointed because I felt like we had given up on him too early. Even back then, even without a jump shot. I still thought he was an amazing talent just because it’s so quick.”

On the season, Fultz is averaging 12.1 points and 5.7 assists. Those aren’t exactly superstar No. 1 overall pick numbers, but considering how far he’s come, this is a big step.

“I think he went through a lot of stuff,” added Furkan Korkmaz. “Mentally, physically. For a player, it’s not easy to come back strong from that, so I think he did it. It’s good to see him playing so well. Especially, tonight (Monday). I think he really, really played well offensively and defensively. He set the tone for them. He gave them a lot of energy and then they got the win.”

The Magic have a great deal of young talent, 2022 No. 1 pick Paolo Banchero looks like he will be a good player for a while, but Fultz continues to be the lead man for them at the point guard spot.

“He’s a good playmaker,” added Embiid. “He gets guys easy shots. There’s a reason they’re a good team. Obviously, they drafted a great rookie who’s gonna be a really good player in this league, but I think everything runs through Markelle. They’re better than what their record says, and they wouldn’t be there without the impact that he has.”

It’s obvious Fultz was well-liked by his former Sixers teammates. A lot has changed in Philadelphia since he was with the team, but the guys still here have respect for him.

“I know him personally,” Korkmaz added. “He’s a really good guy, a good kid. I think he deserves to be in this situation. He even deserves better.”

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Markelle Fultz reacts to Philly return after Magic knock off Sixers

Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz reacts to his return to Philadelphia after the Magic beat the 76ers on the road.

PHILADELPHIA — On Monday, Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz played in his first game at the Wells Fargo Center since he was traded to the Magic at the 2019 deadline. The 2017 No. 1 pick only played in 33 games over the course of two seasons with the Sixers.

After dealing with other injuries and more adversity in Orlando, Fultz had yet to play a game in Philadelphia after the trade four years ago. On Monday, he finally had that opportunity, and he had 12 points and 10 assists in a 119-109 comeback win over the Sixers.

Afterward, he gave his reaction to his first game back in Philadelphia since the trade and how the Magic were able to respond.

“Amazing man, it was so fun,” said Fultz. “Obviously, the best thing about it is getting the win, but just the energy of being out there, going against the crowd, and having fun. I think that was the best thing so I’m very excited. I’m glad I got it over with now and get ready for the next one. I’m just glad we got the dub for sure.”

When Fultz was introduced to the crowd, he received some cheers but there were certainly some boos from the Wells Fargo Center crowd. Fultz wasn’t surprised.

“Not really,” he said. “I always felt like I had love here. Philly is always gonna go against the opposite team, so I kinda had a feeling that that was gonna happen, too, but again, it’s very exciting whether you’re on this team or an opposing team to being here and just embrace the fans here and embrace the city.”

Fultz has had a wild journey in the NBA. Philadelphia was a disaster for him, but he has been able to get himself moving forward and Monday was another example.

“It’s a very unique situation,” he said. “I was just taking it all in whether they were happy or not. Just taking it as a game and enjoying it.”

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Markelle Fultz opens up on time with Sixers in first game back in Philly

Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz opens up on his time with the Philadelphia 76ers and any emotions in his return back to Philly.

PHILADELPHIA–When one looks back at Markelle Fultz and his time with the Philadelphia 76ers, one will see that it wasn’t very productive.

The No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA draft had a target on him rather quickly after the Sixers moved up from No. 3 to No. 1 after a trade with the Boston Celtics in order to select him. The idea was that Fultz would join Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons at the time to form a Big 3 and compete for a title.

Instead, Fultz dealt with a ton of adversity. The young man out of Washington only played 14 games in his rookie season due to a shoulder injury, he then was a starter on opening night in his second season, but he only played 19 games due to another bizarre shoulder injury.

There were then reports that he had the “yips” and there were a lot of “he said, she said” stuff, and after just 33 games with the Sixers, he was sent to the Orlando Magic at the 2019 deadline.

On Monday night, Fultz is set to play in his first game back in Philadelphia since the deal after dealing with more injuries in Orlando and he opened up on his time with the Sixers and any emotions walking into the Wells Fargo Center.

Every player in Philadelphia 76ers history who has worn No. 20

Here is a list of the 22 players who have worn the No. 20 uniform of the Philadelphia 76ers in the franchise’s history.

It’s summertime in the NBA, so it’s time to learn some history. The Philadelphia 76ers are one of the older franchises in the NBA. Their history dates to the 1949-50 season.

With that longevity, the team has had hundreds of players come through the City of Brotherly Love. Sixers Wire looks at the No. 20 which has been worn by 22 of those players in the history of the franchise.

This running series will go through all of the uniform numbers worn in franchise history. The previous edition of this series was a list compiling the 14 players who have worn the No. 21.

Here is the list of the 22 who have worn No. 20 in Sixers history:

2017 NBA redraft has Sixers taking Jayson Tatum over Markelle Fultz

In a re-draft of 2017, the Philadelphia 76ers take Jayson Tatum with the No. 1 overall pick instead of Markelle Fultz.

Looking back at the 2017 NBA draft, the Philadelphia 76ers made a big move with the rival Boston Celtics to move up to the No. 1 pick, and they selected Markelle Fultz out of Washington. The expectation was Fultz would join Joel Embiid and Ben Simmons to form a Big Three.

Instead, Fultz suffered a rash of injuries ,and he played a grand total of 33 games across two seasons for the Sixers before he was traded to the Orlando Magic at the deadline in 2019. With the Magic, he has begun to find his footing, but again, he has been hit with multiple injuries that are holding him back.

In a redraft of 2017 performed by Bleacher Report, the Sixers take Jayson Tatum with the first pick with Fultz sliding to the 19th pick which belonged to the Atlanta Hawks.

B/R on the Tatum pick for the Sixers:

Tatum is coming off back-to-back seasons with at least 26 points, seven rebounds and four assists per game. Over his last three postseason appearances, he’s made two conference finals and averaged 26.2 points, 7.8 rebounds, 5.6 assists, 3.0 threes, 1.1 blocks and 1.1 steals while shooting 38.5 percent from three.

Those absurd numbers are proof that Tatum is already far more than just a No. 1 scorer. What gives him a chance to compete for MVPs, though, is his rapid ascent to elite defense.

One has to wonder how the Sixers would have looked with Tatum joining Embiid and Simmons rather than Fultz, but, alas, Tatum is with the Celtics and Boston is a legitimate threat in the Eastern Conference after coming off an appearance in the NBA Finals.

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What are the 5 biggest Celtics trades made during the NBA draft?

The Boston Celtics have made some hugely impactful trades during the NBA draft. Check out the miraculous story behind some of these deals.

The NBA draft is all about roster design. There are a lot of different strategies out there, but let’s stick with what legendary Boston Celtics coach Red Auerbach once offered: “They said you have to use your five best players but I found you win with the five who fit together the best.”

With that frame, the draft offers a tantalizing number of opportunities. Sure, you can select the best available player and hope he grows with your system. But fortune favors the bold — the NBA draft is a chance to really swing for the fences and bring in the right player. A smart trade on draft night can change everything.

Boston, unsurprisingly, has a history of moving and shaking far beyond the limited frame of their own specific pick. Following the leadership of Auerbach, the Celtics’ NBA draft trade history is a rich and storied one. As we’ll see, some of the franchise’s best players landed in green by way of a draft-day trade. Let’s discuss.

Top five worst draft picks made in Philadelphia 76ers history

Here are the top five worst draft picks made in the long history of the Philadelphia 76ers.

Now that the Philadelphia 76ers officially have a selection in the 2022 NBA draft thanks to the Brooklyn Nets deferring the pick acquired in the James Harden trade to 2023, now is the time to look back at some draft history in Philadelphia.

Every team has some draft busts in their franchise’s history. There is just so much hope and potential for every draftee to succeed and become the player they’re expected to be, but sometimes it just does not happen.

The Sixers are no different as they have made a few draft picks that just did not work out and we’re here to rank the top five worst picks this team has made. With that being said, let’s get into the list: