The Sixer Sense
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Don’t overreact to Markelle Fultz’s struggles

By Christopher Kline

PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 4: Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during a preseason game on October 4, 2017 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - OCTOBER 4: Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers looks on before the game against the Memphis Grizzlies during a preseason game on October 4, 2017 at Wells Fargo Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using this photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. Mandatory Copyright Notice: Copyright 2017 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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Philadelphia 76ers rookie Markelle Fultz looked bad in the team’s first preseason game this Wednesday. That shouldn’t concern you too much.

Some people are hitting the panic button far too early on Markelle Fultz. The Philadelphia 76ers rookie struggled mightily in the team’s first preseason game on Wednesday, shooting a mere 2-for-13 from the field while missing all three of his attempts from beyond the arc.

In layman’s terms: He was very, very bad.

This comes as somewhat of a shock to a lot of Sixers fans. Fultz projected as one of the most NBA-ready guard prospects we’ve seen in a long time, while his physical tools are already well-equipped for the NBA game. He also has the luxury of playing alongside Ben Simmons, which theoretically makes some of his scoring opportunities a bit easier.

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None of that mattered Wednesday, as the Memphis Grizzlies staved off a quick, Ben Simmons-led charge early on to trounce the Sixers by a final score of 110-89. As is the case with every preseason game, this is a prime example of something people shouldn’t overreact to.

This is almost an annual tradition. A team either underperforms or overperforms in the preseason, which in turn leads to unrealistic expectations that typically fall flat once the regular season comes around. The Sixers losing a game — in which Joel Embiid, Marc Gasol and Mike Conely didn’t play — doesn’t have any remote bearing on their regular season projections.

Fultz’s concerns can be mitigated as well. This is his first game against professional competition, and it comes in a setting that doesn’t mean anything to his long term projections. Plenty of rookies struggle early in their careers, and perhaps most Sixers gurus — myself included — where a bit overzealous in dubbing him an immediate high-level contributor.

There’s some stuff Fultz will have to learn. He’s currently in the process of fixing a jumper that he tinkered with all summer, while his fluid-yet-quirky offensive attack may need time to adjust to the pace of NBA basketball. He doesn’t rely purely on athleticism to gain leverage on the offensive end, and that could end up increasing the time he needs to put into learning the ins and outs of professional defenders.

Must Read: Markelle Fultz needs to un-fix his jumper

He’s going through the early ebbs and flows (well, mostly ebbs) that most rookies go through — and that’s fine. Ben Simmons looks like a stud, and a healthy Embiid is decidedly better than any other sophomore in the league. There’s still plenty of room for success with this team next season, even if Fultz isn’t playing his best basketball from day one.

There are also positives outside of his offensive numbers. He looks good on defense, where his physical tools afford him plenty of upside if he’s willing to put in the effort. It’s also game one of the preseason — something I need to keep emphasizing. He’ll get more comfortable in time, and comfort is a big part of Fultz’s game.

This essentially boils down to one key fact: this isn’t the kind of game to put that much stock in. Jayson Tatum wasn’t the better pick, and trading up for Fultz wasn’t an asinine move. It’s way too early to make those declarations.

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We’ll get a better feel for where Fultz’s game is heading once the regular season gets underway. For now, let’s hold off on any unnecessary hot takes.