Being the first overall pick in the NBA draft is a blessing and a curse. When a player is picked first, they enter the league with tremendous expectations. With that said, those are expectations that most players are happy to try to meet.
Has Markelle Fultz of the Orlando Magic met expectations? It would be hard to make that claim. Fultz hasn’t had the career one hopes to see from a first-overall pick. With that said, he has rounded into a solid NBA contributor.
The San Antonio Spurs will be hoping that Victor Wembanyama exceeds that bar. He wasn’t just a number one pick – he’s the most anticipated prospect since LeBron James. As a rookie, Wembanyama has looked likely to meet those lofty expectations. Could the Spurs pair him with Fultz?
The Trade Proposal
Orlando Magic receive: F Doug McDermott, G/F Cedi Osman, 2025 First-Round Pick (Lottery Protected – SAS)
San Antonio Spurs receive: G Markelle Fultz
With that said, Fultz isn’t the only first-overall pick on Orlando’s roster. They selected Paolo Banchero in the 2022 draft. As a result, fans will have debates about Banchero for years to come.
Was he the right choice? So far, he’s looked the part of a top pick. With that said, so has Chet Holmgren. Still, it doesn’t feel like fans will worry about whether the Magic should have taken Holmgren. They needed an offensive engine, and the Thunder needed a defensive anchor.
By contrast, nobody will tell you that Fultz was the right choice in 2017. Any one of Jayson Tatum, De’Aaron Fox, Lauri Markkanen, Donovan Mitchell, or Bam Adebayo would have been a better choice. Fultz is a solid player, but he should not have been picked first in that draft. Should the Spurs add him to their roster?
Why The San Antonio Spurs Do The Deal
Disregard Fultz’s draft position. By now, it’s a moot point. Fultz is a strong playmaker who can orchestrate an offense. It just so happens that the Spurs could use exactly that type of player.
That’s not to say this is a no-brainer. Fultz is highly injury-prone. Giving up a pick for him would be a bold move. Still, that’s why this pick is lottery-protected. The Spurs could be getting their point guard of the future at a minimal asset cost.
This deal won’t make them a better team in 2023-24. They’ll miss the floor spacing that they’re losing in this trade. Still, it should improve the Spurs’ long-term ceiling – and at this point in their rebuild, that’s all that matters. Should the Magic help them raise their ceiling?
Why The Orlando Magic Do The Deal
The Spurs need a point guard. The Magic do not. Anthony Black is having a strong rookie season, and Jalen Suggs is rounding into form as a sophomore. Meanwhile, the Magic get ample playmaking from their forward spots with Banchero and Franz Wagner on the roster.
By contrast, the Magic need shooting – badly. Here, they’re receiving plenty of it. McDermott is one of the most reliable floor spacers in the NBA, and defenses respect Osman as well. This deal should make the Magic a better team right now.
Does saying goodbye to Fultz sting? You bet. He’s been a reclamation project for this organization – and a successful one. With that said, the Magic have outgrown him – no matter where he was picked in the draft.
