Hoops Habit
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5 reasons the Philadelphia 76ers are playing poorly

By Larry Mendte

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 18: Head coach Brett Brown talks to Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers against the Chicago Bulls at the Wells Fargo Center on October 18, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 18: Head coach Brett Brown talks to Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers against the Chicago Bulls at the Wells Fargo Center on October 18, 2018 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images) /
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(Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images)
(Photo by Chris Schwegler/NBAE via Getty Images) /

5. Markelle Fultz

Markelle Fultz is not awful. He just seems awful because he was the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. But he is not good enough to be in the starting shooting guard.

Right now, Fultz gets announced as one of the starting five. He plays a lot in the first half, but then J.J. Redick starts the second half. When the game is on the line, Fultz is on the bench. He is a starting guard in name only.

Fultz averages 25.4 minutes per game, sixth on the team. Redick averages 31.2 minutes a game, on par with the other four starters. Fultz averages 8.6 points per game. Redick averages 21.2 points per game, second on the team. Fultz has made a total of three 3-point shots on the season. Redick makes, on average, four 3-pointers a game.

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After five games, maybe it is time to end the facade. Markelle Fultz is simply not a starting shooting guard in the NBA. He is just not good enough yet. On the other hand, J.J. Redick is having a career start and is one of the top scorers in the league.

Maybe someday Fultz will become good enough to start. After all, he is only 20 years old. In the meantime, do we have to pretend that he is a starter to build his confidence and save the front office the embarrassment?

Remember, the 76ers traded up with the Boston Celtics to get Fultz at No. 1. The Celtics used the No. 3 pick in the draft to select Jayson Tatum, who looks like a bona fide NBA star. And the Celts will most likely get the Sacramento Kings’ first round pick in next year’s draft, via the Sixers.

If Fultz ends ups being a bust, the burner account debacle won’t be the most embarrassing episode in former general manager Bryan Colangelo’s NBA career.

The bust label is a long way off, but for the time being, the 76ers shouldn’t try and pretend Fultz is something he is not. J.J. Redick is a starting NBA shooting guard. Markelle Fultz is not.