Philadelphia 76ers: Markelle Fultz looks far more comfortable at point guard

The Philadelphia 76ers’ win over the Orlando Magic revealed something about Markelle Fultz’s present strengths and weaknesses.

Ben Simmons played seven minutes before exiting the game with back stiffness against the Orlando Magic last Saturday, leaving the Philadelphia 76ers shorthanded while forcing Joel Embiid and J.J. Redick to carry the offensive burden.

That meant point guard duties were handed to Markelle Fultz and T.J. McConnell, both of whom performed well. McConnell was Brett Brown’s choice down the stretch, but it was still Fultz’s best game to date.

Fultz didn’t hit (or attempt) from deep, but he looked more comfortable on the offensive end. Despite an inefficient performance (5/12), his willingness to shoot was promising.

Part of the reason for that comfort was the role change. Before joining the Sixers, Fultz spent his entire life as the primary ball handler. Following a complete shot rebuild, asking him to play off-ball next to Ben Simmons is a massive adjustment — one that needs time.

Against Orlando, Fultz was casually initiating the offense and creating looks for teammates. Despite the shooting woes, Fultz has been remarkably effective as a playmaker in his brief career. His seven-assist, one-turnover outing was another shining example.

Fultz doesn’t turn the ball over a ton. His crafty handles, basketball I.Q. and unselfishness are all advanced traits for a 20-year-old. His dynamism as a primary creator was the root of his appeal at Washington, and that’s still the case today.

From a pure developmental standpoint, that would indicate a need for more minutes at the one. That means cutting T.J. out entirely when Simmons sits, allowing Fultz to run the offense. It also means using Simmons as a cutter and post-up threat more often.

From Brett Brown’s perspective, winning is more important. Fultz needs to develop his own cutting and spot-up shooting in order to fit next to Simmons, as the Sixers’ best offense comes with Simmons at the helm.

Long term, Fultz needs to adjust to Simmons — not the other way around.

With that said, it would bode well for Fultz’s confidence to get him more point guard minutes. Diversifying the Sixers’ offense is also important when it comes to eventually competing with Toronto and Boston in the playoffs. Fultz needs to play a role off the dribble.

When Simmons is on the floor, Brown needs to make a concerted effort to run actions that focus on Fultz and his skill set. In the preseason, we saw several sets that involved Fultz as the pick-and-roll ball handler, opening up several different options.

In one instance, Fultz dribbled around two screens, one from Embiid and one from Simmons. Embiid popped out to the three-point line, Simmons bolted to the rim, and Fultz glided into a mid-range jumper. Those creative plays, which put Fultz in charge and generate mismatches, will aid his productivity.

Playmaking duties also allow Fultz to control the tempo and create in transition, where he can immediately attack space and create looks he’s comfortable with. Even though it’s a miss, these shots aren’t readily available when he’s working off the third pass or stashed in the corner.

Fultz can also use his gravity in transition to draw in defenders and find open shooters. On this play, Fultz’s quick move to the rim forces Mohamed Bamba to help, leaving Embiid open for the trailing three.

Fultz plays with far more freedom when he’s controlling the basketball. Becoming a more reliable three-point shooter is a must, but until then, Fultz’s value is maximized as an offensive focal point.

Again, there are obvious logistical problems here. Simmons led the Sixers in minutes per game last season and will do the same this season. He’s on the floor a lot, guiding the offense and controlling almost every possession alongside Embiid. There isn’t a ton of space for Fultz to take over the offensive reigns.

Fultz still needs time to figure out his current role. Confidence as a spot-up shooter — something that should come in time — will be huge. He also needs to continue actively cutting to the rim and looking for open space, something he’s done effectively in the early going.

The next step, of course, is being more assertive when given the ball with room to operate. That has to progress with or without consistent point guard minutes, because those simply aren’t abundantly available in Brett Brown’s rotation.