The Process Is Complete And Markelle Fultz Is Gonna Be A Sixer
This Sixers-Celtics trade has been a whirlwind of emotions. From the advent of the deal on Friday night, to the reports that we were going to be giving up three first rounders, to the final package that the Sixers got, it has been quite the weekend for The Process.
When the haze cleared and the facts came into focus, it seems like a good deal for the Sixers. They get their man, Markelle Fultz, who is a happy combination of the best talent and the best fit for the Sixers. Josh Jackson, while passionate, has a million question marks surrounding his shot. The type of scorer that Fultz projects to be—one who can drive, score on threes at a high volume, and, on throwback nights, hit mid-range jumpers—is exactly what the Sixers young core needs.
Now, with Fultz, Simmons and Embiid as tent-pole pieces, the Sixers have as promising a young nucleus as this league has seen in some time.
I am aware at the level of hysteria the Sixers fanbase is generating over 3 players who have played a total of 31 NBA games, but in a league where hope commodity that is secondary only to hardware, we very rich in hope. Right now, only a Voltron of superstars has a chance at winning the ‘ship, and the Sixers are doing all they can to stock their cupboard with high-end product.
The Celtics certainly have more of a depth of assets, but they also might have just given the Sixers the keys to beat them in a few years. For all the C’s fans that want to believe the Celtics are gearing up for a super duper star like Anthony Davis, I believe my pal Coley Mick said it the best.
As far as the Celtics, I don’t understand the bellyaching from the fanbase. The deal was clearly an indictment on Futz from Ainge’s standpoint. If he thought he was transcendent, he would have drafted him. He clearly doesn’t believe so, so he picked up an extra asset and will get another player in this class that he believes in more. The Celtics fanbase has groveled at Danny Ainge’s pubic mound for how long now? Suddenly you all question his judgement when he doesn’t select a 5th redundancy at guard? Trust the man a little bit!
Unless, of course, Danny switched his focus from finding the best player to chasing a more well-rounded fit. From a Sixer’s fan’s standpoint, we can only hope he flubbed this one, and that Fultz is the truth.
Some sensory stimulation for that ass.
There is a tiny voice in the back of my head that keeps telling me to worry about the other guards in this draft. My biggest little fear is that one of Dennis Smith, Jr., Malik Monk, DeAaron Fox, or Lonzo Ball winds up being a better guard in the long term. The top 8 of this draft (those 5 with Tatum, Isaac and Jackson) is so dense with talent, especially in the back court, that I worry we are letting a real catch slip through our fingers. I’ve watched them all play this season and my opinions on all of them have fluctuated just enough to reassure me how little I really know about a this.
Still, there is no need to look this gift horse in the mouth. We didn’t get trade-raped by Ainge. We got, by all accounts, the top prospect in the draft. The 76ers future that has so long been unsure, is finally getting some clarity.