Magic Report Cards: Markelle Fultz Causes Conundrum

The Orlando Magic have a difficult choice to make after Markelle Fultz's up-and-down season.

Jeremy Brener | May 18, 2024

Apr 12, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz (20) dribbles the / Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

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Orlando Magic

ORLANDO — Orlando Magic point guard Markelle Fultz faced another difficult season this year with the injury bug.

After playing and starting in 60 games for the Magic last season, the most he played since the 2019-20 campaign, Fultz found himself in a familiar position on the sidelines dealing with a knee injury early in the season.

After the All-Star Break, Fultz lost his spot in the starting lineup to veteran Gary Harris, but he still found a way to contribute off the bench.

While Fultz's statistics (7.8 points per game) left something to be desired, the box score doesn't tell the whole story. Fultz was nominated as one of 12 finalists for the Twyman-Stokes Teammate of the Year Award, proving his worth off the court.

Fultz is set to become a free agent at season's end, and the Magic have a tough choice to make. While Fultz has struggled to stay on the court, he clearly brings something valuable to the organization when he isn't playing. The former No. 1 overall pick can still be a strong contributor for the Magic, but it likely won't come at the $17 million price tag he had this season.

If Fultz was willing to take a pay cut, he could find his way back to Orlando, but that's a big if as he enters the potential prime of his career.

Grade: C-

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Published May 18, 2024

JEREMY BRENER

Jeremy Brener is an editor, writer and social media manager for several Fan Nation websites. His work has also been featured in 247 Sports and SB Nation as a writer and podcaster. Brener has been with Fan Nation since 2021. Brener grew up in Houston, going to Astros, Rockets and Texans games as a kid. He moved to Orlando in 2016 to go to college and pursue a degree. He hosts "The Dream Take" podcast covering the Rockets, which has produced over 350 episodes since March 2020. Brener graduated in May 2020 from the University of Central Florida with a Bachelor's degree in Broadcast Journalism minoring in Sport Business Management. While at UCF, Brener worked for the school's newspaper NSM.today and "Hitting the Field," a student-run sports talk show and network. He was the executive producer for "Hitting the Field" from 2019-20. During his professional career, Brener has covered a number of major sporting events including the Pro Bowl, March Madness and several NBA and NFL games. As a fan, Brener has been to the 2005 World Series, 2010 FIFA World Cup and the 2016 NCAA National Championship between the Villanova Wildcats and North Carolina Tar Heels. Now, Brener still resides in the Central Florida area and enjoys writing, watching TV, hanging out with friends and going to the gym. Brener can be followed on Twitter @JeremyBrener. For more inquiries, please email jeremybrenerchs@gmail.com.