2. Markelle Fultz (2 years, $22.0 million, RFA in 2021)
Last year, the Orlando Magic took a flyer on Markelle Fultz. He was a reclamation project, someone who just found the wrong fit and the wrong situation to go with bad injury luck in his original home. The fact he was the top overall pick only added to the pressure and frustration in his former home.
Fultz needed a fresh start. And the Magic did not need him immediately. They still viewed themselves as fairly early in their development stage (that perspective makes their playoff appearance even more encouraging) and they could wait on his injury.
The hope for this first season was to ensure he was healthy and could get through the full season — his first full season. That almost did not happen as Fultz was not cleared for basketball activities until September. The Magic were still largely managing him carefully.
But very quickly, it was clear Fultz was a lot more than everyone expected. There was a reason he was the No. 1 pick and he was reminding everyone of that with every dribble and every attack.
The Sixer Sense
Within five games in the regular season, it was clear he needed to start. And so he has started since early November virtually.
Since then, he has amazed everyone with how quickly he has taken back to the game. He has shown why he was the No. 1 pick and that he has plenty of talent to tap into. If he were a rookie, he may not be the Rookie of the Year, but he would be among the best in this class.
Magic fans are itching for the team to give him more responsibility. Orlando wants to see more of Fultz.
And quickly, Fultz has now established himself as a core player on this team. He has never had a healthy summer and so it will be interesting to see how he adds skills to his game. The future is extremely promising.
Orlando put some faith in Fultz by picking up his team option for next year. The team can look forward to his restricted free agency summer after the 2021 season. But Fultz is clearly a part of the team’s future for now. A very key part actually. Orlando has to feel good about who they have manning the point for now.