Although Markle Fultz is about to usher in his sixth NBA season, the kind of posture he will return to the court and what kind of player he will become makes fans feel like watching the flowers in the fog. Since entering the league in 2017, he has played in 131 of 391 games.
Injuries have plagued him with the exception of the 2019-20 season. Constantly adapting to new environments and teammates became the core of his NBA journey.
Markle Fultz tore his anterior cruciate ligament in early January 2021, leaving him absent for almost 14 months, and at the end of February last season, Markle Fultz returned to the Orlando Magic's lineup. In 18 games, the 24-year-old averaged 20 minutes and could score 10.8 points, 5.5 assists, 2.7 rebounds and 1.1 steals while retaining 51.7 percent true shooting percentage.
Almost from the start, the 6'3 defender showed he was Orlando's number one creator in the backcourt. Energetic and courageous to accept physical confrontation, coupled with his creativity and flexibility, amplifies his strengths as an offensive player.
According to Cleaning the Glass, he shot 72 percent from the basket, ranking in the top 2 percent of the guards. He ranks in the 78th percentile with 35% of his cut frequency, and combined with the goal he is good at, makes him an elite-level finisher and killer.
Markle Fultz feels very fluid. He has weapons such as turning, changing direction and crotch dribbling, and with excellent acceleration and complex dribble directions, his entry is unpredictable. Despite his straight line bursts of mediocrity, his second, third, and fourth steps are top-notch. His long, powerful steps are able to swallow up space and create opportunities with his ingenuity and flexibility under the basket.
At times, Markle Fultz will run like a bulldozer on the skinny defenders and will be able to use his body advantage well in the 2021-22 season. Other times, he circling defenders like a graceful stepper, and his varied offensive rhythm allows him to do his job competently.
He can easily create an advantage that no other NBA guard can match. After a year of ACL tearing, his skills and physical fitness will still appear frequently on the big screen.
Markle Fultz's style can be combined with the likes of Cole Anthony, Jaylen Saggers, and Franz Wagner. Cole Anthony and Jaylen Sagus fit for no-ball roles, while Franz Wagner showcased his talent in cutting in and ending offense last season, in addition to making his debut.
Between the block and Markle Fultz's pass, Wendell Carter Jr. and Markle Fultz also cultivated some quick chemistry. Markle Fultz can be both a rugged cover and a stunning finisher, which complements Wendell Carter Jr.'s skill as a shooter and trailer slider, and the pairing between the two has become an important offensive weapon for the Magic.
If Paul Bancairo improves his no-ball scoring (he tends to stop and watch his opponent after receiving the ball, which easily gives up the advantage of the first shot), then it's clear that Fult can simplify his job and facilitate how they work together in cover, playing both the initiator and the attacker.
Markle Fultz's 45.2 percent assist rate last season was the league's top presence. Many assists are fairly mundane, but they stem from innate talent. Once he breaks the shell of a defensive formation, whether it's his dribbling, rhythmic pace or keen observation, he can quickly build an advantage for the team.
His passing acumen could be a curse as he reads defenses faster than his teammates and expects them to run into gaps they don't know, leading to mistakes. However, he is a truly excellent playmaker who can find a huge number of attacking opportunities inside and outside the arc.
According to PBPStats, 87 of his 99 assists are for teammates to hit under the basket or three-pointers. His effortless creativity, long arms and keen eye blend to form a multifaceted offensive weapon.
Because Markle Fultz almost always makes it to the inside line, an important step in his future development is to expand his reliable scoring skills outside the basket. Despite shooting a whopping 72 percent from the field, his true shooting percentage (51.7) is nearly 5 percent lower than the league average (56.6).
He was mediocre in the middle distance and wasn't particularly good. However, his shot point is so high that most big men can't compete. If it can be used effectively, his attack will definitely be able to rise a notch.
There is a clear incongruity between Markle Fultz's mid-range and outside jumper mechanisms, so it's unwise to expect him to develop long-range shots. Improving his scoring efficiency may require improvement from the middle distance (a percentage of 45-46% would be a decent ratio) and as a foul maker. In his first three years, physical contact with opponents can easily affect his chances of getting a free throw.
But, in addition to his excellent offensive cylinder, he is willing to endure physical confrontation and let opponents foul up when appropriate. However, this will take time, as it will take a lot of time to train this fearless terminator.
Even established players don't necessarily use these skills well, and this habit is still positively correlated with experience. As Markle Fultz continues to cut boldly and eagerly into the basket, his free throw count increases.
The flank-sized body size was his characteristic, but the lack of reliable jump shots led to some shortcomings. Although this is something that must be overcome for a 6'3 paint-oriented ball handler. When Franz Wagner and Paul Bancairo create opportunities for others, his no-ball performance will determine success or failure. Given his amazing talent, his empty-handed cut is certainly fine, but not being able to attack from beyond the three-point line is a hard injury.
Aside from his revised approach to finishing, Markle Fultz's growth looks most pronounced on the defensive end. After 14 months of rest, he will need weeks to adjust to the rhythm of the league. After that, he will begin to play an active role as a pestering opponent.
When people took the focus off him because of injuries, Markle Fultz quietly became a nightmare for attacking players. He was always able to keep his shoulders down, focus on his assigned task, and wave his 6'9 arm span to disturb his opponent. In his first 10 games, he had 7 steals. In his last eight games, he got 13 steals, not only to turn passive into active, but also to regain his beastly intuition. In particular, his steal rate (2.4%) and hot pot rate (0.7%) are quite high.
Occasionally asking him to make multiple weak-side rotations he can still complete the task, although occasionally wrong timing, but his ability to change defense can also be expected.
Markle Fultz is definitely a good defender, especially in the second half of his 2021-22 season. Markle Fultz-Jaylen Sagus' starting backcourt was very attractive on the defensive end, and they largely solved the previous weaknesses, which also allowed Orlando's core advantages to be gradually built.
As the Magic begin their second-year rebuild, it's important who deserves priority on this journey. Franz Wagner, Wendell Carter Jr. and Paul Bancairo are the constant choices for the frontcourt, but the situation at the back is very vague.
Jaylen Saggers, Cole Anthony, Markle Fultz and R.J. Hampton are all 24 years old or younger, but for now, Jaylen Sagus and Markle Fultz should be the leaders (if a decision is needed).
Although since joining the league, he has endured all criticism. Markle Fultz, however, has created a funky, powerful way to play to alleviate the pain of losing shots, and his defense plays a different role when on and without the ball. A year later, after a full season and reintegration into the team, simply thinking he was a "good" player might be a bit of an underestimation of him.