Magic PG Markelle Fultz 'Difference Maker' for Cinderella Play-In Run?
The Orlando Magic is 28-41 as the No. 13 seed in the NBA Eastern Conference and are seesawing between earning a postseason bid to the play-in tournament or securing top-five odds to win the 2023 NBA Draft Lottery. And one player on their roster has caught the attention of the NBA media as a real difference maker.
Sports Illustrated labeled Magic point guard Markelle Fultz as a needle-mover for the promising young team, saying:
"The perimeter shooting, while considerably improved and at career-best levels, still isn’t good," SI writes. "Fultz shoots just 30.8% from three on 1.4 attempts per game. But he’s been far better with his intermediate game this season, in the area between the restricted area and the long-midrange portion of the floor. As such, he’s shooting 53.6% from two-point range, including almost 50% from three to 10 feet, and 43.8% on two-pointers longer than 16 feet. (All those marks are currently career highs to this point.) He ranks in the NBA’s 99th percentile on floater efficiency, according to Synergy Sports, an indication of how much his touch has improved."
Fultz, 24, has looked like a point guard of the future for coach Jamahl Mosley. Qualitatively, his ability to stop on a dime, finish with dexterity at the rim, and execute on floaters -- has made him a versatile threat inside the three-point line.
However, as quoted, his three-point shooting leaves much to be desired. To his credit, he does look for outside opportunities in attempts to remain a semblance of a threat from distance, but his efficiency rate is in need of work.
Nevertheless, Fultz has done what a point guard is required to do -- understand the game, control pace, push the ball in transition and develop a healthy on-court rapport with his teammates. Paolo Banchero recently spoke ravingly of Fultz's play, affirming the good graces he's fallen under in Orlando.
Time will tell if Fultz can continue to improve upon his outside shooting and take additional steps in his career. His storied ridicule in the media during a rough start with the Philadelphia 76ers makes it hard at times to remember that the former University of Washington product is under the age of 25.
Whether or not the Magic ascend to the No. 10 seed in the East by season's end, or require more years to develop true playoff-caliber continuity, Fultz is ready to step in and be a positive for Orlando.
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