The agent for Philadelphia 76ers guard Markelle Fultz decided that his client should shut it down for the time being while he gets evaluated further for the shoulder injury the youngster has been dealing with throughout his career.
Struggling with his shot once again this season, Fultz’ shoulder issues are seemingly impacting his overall play. He’s shooting just 41 percent from the field and averaging less than seven points per game as a sophomore.
Now, according to this report from Chris Mannix of Sports Illustrated, the Sixers themselves were blindsided by Fultz’ decision to shut it down.
That the Sixers appeared to be blindsided by @MarkelleF’s agent effectively shutting him down suggests the two sides are not on the same page. Makes you think if Fultz eventually succeeds, it won’t be in Philly.
— Chris Mannix (@SIChrisMannix) November 20, 2018
It’s certainly isn’t a good sign that the two sides are not on the same page. And as Mannix notes, a change in scenery might be needed here. We focused on that possibility even before the latest drama.
For his part, Sixers head coach Brett Brown benched Fultz earlier in the week and refused to commit to him as the primary backup moving forward. Whether that played a role in this seemingly abrupt decision remains to be seen.