Opinion: The Los Angeles Lakers Should Trade For This Former 1st Overall Pick

Markelle Fultz was the first overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, and he is currently on the Orlando Magic. I believe that the Los Angeles Lakers should try to trade for him.

Markelle Fultz was the first overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft by the Philadelphia 76ers, and he is currently on the Orlando Magic.

In 2020, he averaged 12.1 points and 5.1 assists per contest, but he got injured in 2021. 

He returned this past season, and played in 18 games. 

Markelle Fultz is officially back after tearing his ACL last January

Good to see him back on the court 🙏 pic.twitter.com/hLDJUKfpRr

— Bleacher Report (@BleacherReport) March 1, 2022

Fultz is still just 24-years-old, and I think the Los Angeles Lakers should try to trade for him. 

Why?

The Lakers had a roster with a lot of big-name players last year, but they went just 33-49 and missed the NBA Playoffs.

Fultz is the perfect kind of player for them, because he likely does not have super high trade value, but his potential is sky-high. 

What a 👀 from Markelle Fultz. pic.twitter.com/5ABpIdIxQ6

— NBA (@NBA) March 3, 2020

The Magic have a lot of talented young players on their roster, and at some point it would make sense for them to pick out who is going to be part of their core. 

Fultz very well could be part of their core. 

However, I still think the Lakers should trade any picks that they can to acquire him. 

For starters, he could help them right now. 

They already have LeBron James and Anthony Davis, so they only need good role players. 

Markelle Fultz looked great in his first start of the season! These buckets 👀pic.twitter.com/uCYp1t7QoN

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) April 6, 2022

Fultz was drafted with the first overall pick, because he has star potential. 

Right now, he is just a role player that could turn into a very good player one day.  

James is 37-years-old, so he is not going to be playing for another decade. 

Fultz could turn into a core player for them once this era is over. 

He would be the perfect mix of helping the team compete for titles right now, while also investing in the future of the franchise. 

3 YEARS AGO TODAY
Markelle Fultz became the first 19-year-old in NBA history with a triple-double! And it only took him 25 minutes off the bench to do it.

LaMelo: 19, 140 days
Fultz: 19, 317 days
Luka: 19, 327 days
pic.twitter.com/ddJABRJuUN

— Ballislife.com (@Ballislife) April 11, 2021