NBA News: Former Sixer Markelle Fultz Suffers Another Injury
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Former Philadelphia 76ers draft pick Markelle Fultz seems to have found his home with the Orlando Magic. After getting traded during the 2018-2019 season, Fultz looked forward to getting a fresh start and putting all his issues behind him.
Although Fultz has thrived with the Magic through his first few seasons in Orlando, the injury hits keep coming. In January of 2021, Fultz suffered a torn ACL. He finished the 2020-2021 season after playing in just eight games.
Last season, Fultz returned to the court in February. He finished the season by appearing in 18 games down the stretch of the Magic’s regular season.
Orlando hoped Fultz would return healthy and ready to compete at the start of the 2022-2023 NBA season, but it seems another setback will create an obstacle for the former first pick.
A New Injury for Fultz
On Sunday, the Orlando Magic released a statement regarding Fultz’s health. According to the press release, Fultz suffered a fracture in his big left toe during a preseason workout prior to returning to the Orlando area. While surgery isn’t required to repair Fultz’s toe, he will have to sport a walking boot for the time being.
Currently, the Magic don’t have a timeline for Fultz’s return. Per the press release, his return to play will depend on how he responds to rehabilitation and treatment.
Ever since joining the 76ers as the top pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, Fultz has been plagued with injuries. Fultz missed a large chunk of his rookie year with the Sixers and appeared in just 14 games.
The following season, Fultz started in 15 of 19 games with the Sixers before getting shut down due to a shoulder concern. Considering everything that transpired throughout his short time in Philadelphia, Fultz and the 76ers parted ways in February of 2019 when the Sixers traded Fultz to the Magic in exchange for Jonathon Simmons, a first-round pick, and a second-round pick.
Since debuting with the Magic, Fultz has started in 71 of 98 games. He averaged 11 points and five assists while draining 46 percent of his shots on ten attempts.
The Magic bet on the idea that Fultz will be a cornerstone piece to their franchise moving forward, but the former Washington star will need to get healthy before taking the court again.
Justin Grasso covers the Philadelphia 76ers for All76ers, a Sports Illustrated channel. You can follow him for live updates on Twitter: @JGrasso_.
