NBA Draft: Grading the Philadelphia 76ers’ last 10 first rounds

2017

The moves: Drafted Markelle Fultz

Markelle Fultz

Once the Philadelphia 76ers had Ben Simmons and Joel Embiid, the team had one real need. That need was a guard who could create his own shot. At the time, many saw Markelle Fultz as the consensus number one pick. However, the Sixers ended up with the third pick in the 2017 NBA Draft.

In order to solve this problem, Sixers general manager Bryan Colangelo decided to make a deal with Boston Celtics general manager Danny Ainge. The teams swapped picks and Boston also acquired 2019 first-round pick, as well. At the time, this deal seemed like a no-brainer for Philadelphia. Simmons was not as proficient a scorer as needed, and Joel Embiid works best in the paint. So, bringing Fultz in would theoretically solve that issue.

However, this ended up not being the case. Fultz ended up dealing with shoulder issues, which messed up his shooting form. In two seasons in Philly, Fultz averaged 7.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.8 assists per game. On top of that, he shot 26.7 percent from three. As a result, Fultz would play 33 games in Philadelphia before being dealt in 2019 to the Orlando Magic for Jonathan Simmons, a 2019 second-round pick, and a protected 2020 first-round pick.

It’s a true shame that Fultz did not work out in Philadelphia. With the talent that was on the roster, Fultz could have been a solid contributor as a secondary ball-handler. But alas, he did not fit in Philadelphia.

Grade: F