Completely out of ball! Can Fultz return to the NBA?

As we all know, the new NBA season has begun.

However, Fultz, the No. 1 pick in the 2017 class, still has not found a job.

The situation can be said to be very bad. Not only is Fultz not wanted, but there are no reliable rumors - not even unreliable rumors. The last time he was "associated" with the NBA was at the end of May, when Fultz turned 27. The Kings officially sent a photo of him to celebrate his birthday, and then disappeared completely.

Of course, due to the limited salary space of each team, the free market environment this year is not good, especially for defenders. However, Fultz's inability to find a job is really not just an environmental problem, but his personal ability is the main reason.

Take last season as an example. After the free market opened in 2024, Fultz was still not signed by a team. In the end, he did not receive a basic salary from the Kings until February this year. During this period, there was also news that Fultz might come to play in the CBA. Many fans should still remember this.

At that time, the reason why the Kings offered Fultz a contract was mainly because of the Fox trade (being sent to the Spurs). For Fultz, this should have been an excellent opportunity to prove himself, but he did not seize it.

In the 21 games he played for the Kings last season, Fultz did not score in double figures in any one game. He averaged only 8.8 minutes per game, 2.9 points, 1.0 rebounds and 1.3 assists. He shot 41.8% from the field and 50.0% from the three-point range (it seemed good, but he actually made 4 of 8 shots in total and averaged only 0.38 shots per game). His true shooting percentage was 45.2%, which was a complete water cooler.

The sample is indeed small, but in the limited sample, with Fultz's performance, objectively speaking, it is normal that no one is interested so far. After all, he has too many shortcomings: no shooting, low efficiency, and many injuries.

A brief review of Fultz's career is really disappointing.

In the 2017 draft, Fultz was selected by the 76ers with the No. 1 pick. His data in his freshman season were: 23.2 points, 5.7 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.6 steals and 1.2 blocks per game, shooting 47.6% from the field and 41.3% from the three-point range.

A pre-draft report spoke highly of Fultz, believing that he has excellent physical talent, first-step speed, breakthrough ability, ball-handling, pick-and-roll, transition offense, shooting, passing, and rebounding abilities. He is almost locked in as the top pick. His template is considered to be James Harden (second MVP + assist leader that season).

The 76ers also have high expectations for him, believing that he can help Philadelphia rise together with Simmons and Embiid. However, the reality is cruel. Fultz spent his rookie season amid "questions about strange illnesses."

Due to neurogenic thoracic outlet syndrome, Fultz forgot how to shoot (it was once suspected of being Ipps syndrome, a motor dysfunction), and would twitch even when shooting free throws. Almost all of his upper limb motor functions were severely affected.

In his sophomore season, the 76ers decisively gave up Fultz. He was sent to the Magic in a deal, and the Magic did not even send out a first-round pick. It can also be seen from this that Fultz, who was suffering from a "strange disease" at the time, was not optimistic.

During the Magic period, the team gave Fultz a lot of patience, and Fultz lived up to the Magic. In his first full season after joining the Magic, he averaged 12.1 points, 3.3 rebounds, 5.1 assists and 1.3 assists per game, while shooting 46.5% from the field.

It has to be said that the No. 1 pick still has to be the No. 1 pick. Although it took a while, the talent did show itself. After this season, the Magic also gave Fultz a three-year, $50 million early contract extension and regarded it as part of the future.

In the 2020-21 season, Fultz suffered a torn cruciate ligament after playing only 8 games. Before the injury, he averaged 12.9 points, 3.1 rebounds and 5.4 assists per game, and has been firmly established as the Magic's starter.

This injury caused Fultz to miss more than a year, but it did not knock him down. In the 2022-23 season, the first year of his complete comeback, he was still the Magic's starter, averaging 14.0 points, 3.9 rebounds, 5.7 assists and 1.5 assists per game, with a shooting percentage of 51.4%.

However, the situation of the Magic at this time is completely different from the past. They selected No. 1 pick Banqueiro in 2022, and were joined by Wagner Jr., Jaylen Gesas, Cole Anthony and others. Fultz's ball rights and position have been greatly challenged.

If Fultz can always play, it will still be difficult for guards such as Suggs and Cole Anthony to challenge Fultz. The problem is that Fultz is not healthy. In the 2023-24 season, the year before leaving the Magic, he only played a total of 43 games, averaging only 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.8 assists per game.

This year, the Magic reached the playoffs, but this had little to do with Fultz. After the season, Fultz became a free agent, and then there was what was said at the beginning, waiting, waiting, joining the Kings, waiting, and continuing to wait.

As the No. 1 pick, Fultz's talent is actually very good. The draft report's praise for him did not lie. Unfortunately, he suffered a devastating injury just after he entered the NBA (maybe before he entered the NBA).

For so many years, people have been expecting him to prove himself. Unfortunately, in the end, Fultz still failed, and he still failed to catch up with his former self. I hope that at some point in the new season, he will have the opportunity to return to the NBA.