The Los Angeles Lakers are reportedly interested in signing former number-one overall pick Markelle Fultz, Anthony Irwin of ClutchPoints is reporting. Fultz, who last played for the Orlando Magic, is currently a free agent after his deal expired last season. He wasn’t able to find a new team to sign him.
“Per sources, the Lakers have had internal conversations about Fultz, the former first-overall pick who hasn’t lived up to his draft position but was solid last season playing for the Orlando Magic.”
Markelle Fultz was selected with the first overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft, going to the Philadelphia 76ers. However, Fultz ended up underwhelming while playing for the 76ers, having his stint there derailed several times due to multiple injuries.
The 76ers would end up being traded to the Orlando Magic in 2019 in exchange for Jonathan Simmons and draft considerations. With the Magic, Fultz experienced the same injury problems, including an ACL tear that kept him out for an entire year between 2021 and 2022.
While he never reached the true potential that was touted ahead of the 2017 NBA Draft, Fultz did settle into being a reliable scorer and distributor of the ball for the Orlando Magic. His 2023-24 season showed a great deal of improvement from Fultz’s end, as he averaged 7.8 points, 3.2 rebounds, 2.8 assists, 1.0 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game.
For his career, Fultz has averaged 11.1 points, 4.6 assists, 3.4 assists, 1.2 steals, and 0.3 blocks per game across 234 games. The Lakers might benefit from having a point guard option they can rely on, with D’Angelo Russell being a very inconsistent player who cannot string together a run of consecutive good performances.
What Do The Lakers Need?
The Lakers are coming off their worst stretch of the season so far, as they looked pedestrian during their three-game losing streak to the Timberwolves, Hawks, and Heat. It was the first major glimpse at the weaknesses of this Lakers team, including the star players like LeBron James and Anthony Davis.
Perhaps the most important role the Lakers need to fill is a true point guard. Austin Reaves is a very talented player, but he is not a natural point guard. And D’Angelo Russell has proven time and time again that he cannot be relied upon to be a consistently strong performer.
Even after moving him to the bench, Russell has underdelivered on numerous occasions. Perhaps that is why the Lakers’ front office is looking to bring in Markelle Fultz. A traditional point guard who can provide decent scoring and playmaking is just what the Lakers need going forward.
But one of the other needs for the Lakers is three-point shooting. This is where their interest in Fultz doesn’t make sense. Fultz has historically been a bad shooter, making just 27.4% of attempted three-pointers across his career.
The Lakers should be active in the trade market before the deadline, as their roster needs to be altered massively if they want any chance to compete for an NBA championship.
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