Most NBA rookies are bad in the early going and even the best prospects aren’t always immune from that. However, the No. 1 pick is usually a full-time starter from the jump and many assumed that Sixers guard Markelle Fultz would follow that same path in his debut season.
On Sunday, though, word broke from head coach Brett Brown that the former University of Washington star won’t be in the starting lineup on opening night.
Brown's plan is for Fultz to come off the bench to start the season. Pointed to the fact Fultz didn't played much in preseason.
— Jessica Camerato (@JessicaCamerato) October 15, 2017
As noted by Jessica Camerato of NBC Sports Philadelphia, Brown also leaned on the fact that Fultz wasn’t overly active in the preseason and that is true in the sense that he appeared for only 47 game minutes. Additionally, Fultz has been dealing with a shoulder injury, which has played a role in his funky new shooting form. Still, it is a bit odd to see a prospect of his stature coming off the bench to begin the season and Brown’s next move, especially if Fultz performs adequately, will be quite interesting.
In some ways, an argument could be constructed that staggering Fultz’s minutes with 2016 No. 1 pick Ben Simmons makes sense. Simmons is expected to start and essentially function as the point guard on offense (presumably with Jerryd Bayless and J.J. Redick in the backcourt), leaving Fultz to play more off the ball than he is likely comfortable with at this point. Fultz absolutely can play off the ball but, in a reserve role, it would be assumed that the rookie would handle the ball more often and potentially lean into his strengths.
There were always going to be fit concerns in Philadelphia and the balance with Fultz and Simmons is one of them. How much of the decision to bring Fultz off the bench has to do with that is up for interpretation but, as of today, it appears that the first pick in the draft won’t be starting in his first NBA game.
