Checking in on Markelle Fultz since his return to the Orlando Magic
By Luke Duffy
Checking in on Markelle Fultz since his return to the Orlando Magic: Stats/play
If we get into the raw numbers of Fultz, they are pretty much what you’d expect for a guy who is still limited to playing just 20 minutes a night – 8.8 points and 4.6 assists. The team has only picked up two wins in the nine games he has played since returning (he is being held out of back-to-backs). But we can’t blame Fultz for this, the Magic are in full-on tank mode right now.
If we look at the last 11 games (a sample size that accounts for the return of Fultz but also the games he didn’t play in), the Magic are 5-6 and are at league average in terms of record over that time. Can we attribute this solely to Fultz? Of course not, but it has been clear right away that he is an above-average player they are bringing off the bench to add to their rotation.
The knock on rookie Suggs this season, outside of inconsistencies, has been the way he plays the game. As a youngster, he is in more of a hurry to rush things on the court. In contrast, Fultz has always been a calming presence who takes what defenders give him and plays at his own pace.
This has been the biggest and most positive takeaway from the return of Fultz. Fundamentally, the way he plays the game hasn’t changed. He doesn’t look different from the guy who was once the second-best player in a playoff series against the Milwaukee Bucks. It was always thought that Fultz could give the Magic a different look and type of play compared to Suggs and Anthony.
Already that is proving to be true. Fultz sees teammates in ideal positions, snakes his way into the paint, and doesn’t force anything. He still doesn’t look like he is going to take many three-pointers (surely a holdover from his Philadelphia 76ers days), but he can be so good in other areas that he doesn’t have to.