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Markelle Fultz is getting closer to his return

By Christopher Kline

PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 5: Dario Saric #9 and Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers smile from the bench during the game against the Detroit Pistons on January 5, 2018 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images)
PHILADELPHIA, PA - JANUARY 5: Dario Saric #9 and Markelle Fultz #20 of the Philadelphia 76ers smile from the bench during the game against the Detroit Pistons on January 5, 2018 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 2018 NBAE (Photo by Jesse D. Garrabrant/NBAE via Getty Images) /
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We’re getting closer to seeing Markelle Fultz back in a Philadelphia 76ers uniform.

Even with their recent success, the Philadelphia 76ers would benefit from another shot creator who can generate halfcourt offense. That’s what Markelle Fultz is, and it seems like the most recent No. 1 pick is getting closer to his return.

Fultz participated in five-on-five practice with full contact Wednesday afternoon, a major milestone in what has been a grueling rehab process. The 19-year-old still doesn’t have a return date, but all indications point to him playing in the foreseeable future.

As for what we should expect once Fultz gets back, try to keep your expectations to a minimum. His jumper is getting better, but he might not be stroking threes in game one. That’s a tough mental block to get over and his practice video isn’t flawless.

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That doesn’t mean you should be hopeless either. He knows everyone will be picking apart his mechanics until shots are falling at a 40 percent clip, so the fact that he’s taking jumpers in front of cameras is a notable step in the right direction. Confidence is key here.

Ideally, Fultz helps pace the second unit upon his return. Even if his jumper isn’t as dynamic as it was at Washington, his crafty dribbling, insane body control and advanced basketball I.Q. should allow him to contribute.

Even when he couldn’t shoot this offseason, his ability to get to the rim and make passes in the pick-and-roll was promising. There’s a lot more to his game than shooting, even if his ceiling hinges on that long term.

Philadelphia has been devoid of perimeter depth, so that alone should make Fultz’s return a net positive. I also don’t expect his shooting to be an issue forever, even if it is out of the gates. With such a young team, future projections are more important than immediate results.

In short, expect Fultz to come in and add another layer to the second unit. It’s tough to expect more than that given his situation, especially since he’s a rookie point guard. I’m still buying him as one of the best prospects — if not the best prospect — in the 2017 draft class, though. He’s nowhere close to ‘bust’ status yet.

In case you’ve forgotten how awesome Fultz is, remember how exciting that trade announcement was? You can also go back and watch some highlights from his year at UW.

Next: 2018 NBA Draft Big Board 4.0

Fultz’s eventual return is huge, even if he isn’t producing at the level we all anticipated coming into the season. Winning in the NBA is a long game, and Fultz (and the Sixers) are just getting started.