Fultz's Terrible Start & Injury Updates

[Moranis]

So, after all that, Sixers end up with: 0.5 superstars (Embiid), 1 potential all-star (Simmons), 1 solid starter (Saric), and 2 busts (Fultz, Okafor). Am I missing anyone?

Calling Fultz a bust after 4 games is a rather silly thing to do.  Putting aside Fultz, the Sixers probably have 2 of the top 3 players on rookie contracts and 2 of the top 5 under 25 players.  That's a rather good return for their tanking and they still have the Lakers or Kings pick coming.

Erm. We have that pick.

no. He was right. They have the Lakers pick under certain conditions or they have the Kings pick if those conditions aren't met

[tazzmaniac]

So, after all that, Sixers end up with: 0.5 superstars (Embiid), 1 potential all-star (Simmons), 1 solid starter (Saric), and 2 busts (Fultz, Okafor). Am I missing anyone?

Calling Fultz a bust after 4 games is a rather silly thing to do.  Putting aside Fultz, the Sixers probably have 2 of the top 3 players on rookie contracts and 2 of the top 5 under 25 players.  That's a rather good return for their tanking and they still have the Lakers or Kings pick coming.

Erm. We have that pick.

no. He was right. They have the Lakers pick under certain conditions or they have the Kings pick if those conditions aren't met

With the protections we have no chance at the #1 pick in either draft and there is a small chance we don't get either pick but end up with the 2019 Sixers pick instead.   

[moiso]

"He had a cortisone shot on Oct. 5, which means fluid was put into his shoulder -- Brothers said.

Really, Tony, that's what it means? We had no idea...

And before each game he removes fluid from his body (urinates).  And after each game he puts fluid on his entire body (showers).

[cman88]

Sixers have had no problem shutting down rookies when injured for the year so it doesnt make sense if this is an injury.

[Moranis]

apparently he had a cortisone shot on October 5th. 

[greece66]

https://twitter.com/wojespn/status/922915655640236033

[Erik]

Calling Fultz a bust after 4 games is a rather silly thing to do.  Putting aside Fultz, the Sixers probably have 2 of the top 3 players on rookie contracts and 2 of the top 5 under 25 players.  That's a rather good return for their tanking and they still have the Lakers or Kings pick coming.

Hey man I call it like I see it. First impressions are generally correct. Is he 100% a bust? No. Is he more likely a bust than Tatum? Absolutely. You don't get much time in this league before you're packaged off and lose all your confidence.

I don't personally take much stock in how well a college player plays in ISO ball. Why? Because the players he's beating in ISO aren't even d league level talent. What I look for is hunger, athelticism, teamwork, maturity, how well they perform in offensive sets, defense, etc. fultz led his team to 9-22 before quitting on them and all I saw from him was ISO ball and pick and roll where the roll never happened. He had a very high bust risk in my opinion. And now I'm seeing it. So instead of telling me that we haven't seen enough to call him a bust, why don't you cite specifically what makes you think that this kid will show us anything different than what we've already seen? All he knows is hero ball and he isn't performing well enough vs NBA level defenders in that aspect. There's a reason he's coming off the bench. He is hurting is team due to failure to play team ball.

[Fan from VT]

I think it is too early to definitely call him a bust. There is a reason he was a consensus top pick (maybe not consensus #1), and was able to shoot 40+ % from 3 on 5 attempts per game for 25 games in college. Now, his FT % was concerning, no doubt, but not unredeemably awful.

I tend to believe the injury thing, but if that is the case, I do not understand the management of his injury.

Now, I am not an orthopedic doctor, but I would not be doing cortisone shots this early in the season. It doesn't really help the overall healing, it is something I would reserve for if he was needed in vital games, ie to clinch the playoffs or in playoff games, to bridge him until the offseason. Considering how many games Simmons and Embiid have missed, I would much rather have Fultz rest and do physical therapy to avoid steroid injections, especially since he seems to be learning really bad shooting habits to compensate for the pain. Why not rest him until he can shoot with preferred form? I don't get it.

[Erik]

That's a college 3 vs really bad players. Scoring in college isn't indicative of NBA replication. Look at McDermott? He was shooting close to 50% from 3. And then people started guarding him in the NBA. People like Jordan scored less but dominated games, made teammates better, played in an actual college program that ran offensive sets. Not just "here douggy go shoot a 3" at Mickey Mouse college in bumble****. You're citing stats? Go look up Adam Morrison and tell me if scoring in NCAA automatically means star in NBA. It doesn't translate 1 to 1. You need the killer instinct like Jaylen and Michael. Once these college scorers meet real men who are twice as big and twice as fast as them against well coached NBA defensive sets, if they don't have that killer instinct and learn and get better they shrink and get lost in the history books.

[Surferdad]

Sixers have had no problem shutting down rookies when injured for the year so it doesnt make sense if this is an injury.

Unless Fultz hid the injury, just like he hid the fact that he changed his shot just prior to training camp.  Something not right between the ears...

[Donoghus]

So, he's either hurt, has the yips, or a combination of the two.  And possibly dealing with an incompetent organization who would rather trot him out there in October games rather than letting him heal or rest.  And if the agent is to be believed, why would the organization let him "grind it out".  Especially in October?

Just a weird situation.

[Erik]

So, he's either hurt, has the yips, or a combination of the two.  And possibly dealing with an incompetent organization who would rather trot him out there in October games rather than letting him heal or rest.  And if the agent is to be believed, why would the organization let him "grind it out".  Especially in October?

Just a weird situation.

I believe that they realized he's not NBA ready, tried to give him a few reps off the bench in ISO sets to sell some jerseys and tickets and he failed in that as well so plan C is fake injury while they train him.

[Donoghus]

So, he's either hurt, has the yips, or a combination of the two.  And possibly dealing with an incompetent organization who would rather trot him out there in October games rather than letting him heal or rest.  And if the agent is to be believed, why would the organization let him "grind it out".  Especially in October?

Just a weird situation.

I believe that they realized he's not NBA ready, tried to give him a few reps off the bench in ISO sets to sell some jerseys and tickets and he failed in that as well so plan C is fake injury while they train him.

That's a helluva conspiracy theory.

[Adelaide Celt]

At the Philly game the other night I thought he resembled Shaq with the way he shot his free throws. The 76ers fans around me were mocking him and giving ironic cheers when he made a couple.

I don't have anything against Fultz but safe to say I'm glad his problems are not our problems.

[Erik]

So, he's either hurt, has the yips, or a combination of the two.  And possibly dealing with an incompetent organization who would rather trot him out there in October games rather than letting him heal or rest.  And if the agent is to be believed, why would the organization let him "grind it out".  Especially in October?

Just a weird situation.

I believe that they realized he's not NBA ready, tried to give him a few reps off the bench in ISO sets to sell some jerseys and tickets and he failed in that as well so plan C is fake injury while they train him.

That's a helluva conspiracy theory.

I'm an engineer so I look at all the facts and make the most likely conclusion. How else can you describe this bizarre situation ? We know he's not injured "can't lift his arm" or he wouldn't be playing. We know he's not NBA ready based on what we've seen. We know the sixers are "The Producers of broadway" NBA team. It's actually a highly plausible theory.