Should Oklahoma City Look at Signing Markelle Fultz?

The Oklahoma City Thunder's offseason seems to completed, but the former Orlando Magic guard could be a last-minute addition to its roster.

Apr 12, 2024; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Orlando Magic guard Markelle Fultz (20) dribbles the ball against the Philadelphia 76ers during the second quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Now less than two months away from the start of the 2024-25 season, the NBA offseason seems to be largely wrapped up.

Teams have made their big free agency signings, trades and draft selections, so there are not a whole lot of options left on the market. The Oklahoma City Thunder brought in Isaiah Hartenstein, traded away Josh Giddey for Alex Caruso and drafted a few rookies, rounding out a nearly complete roster.

Oklahoma City has a total of 14 players on full-time contracts and three on two-way deals, leaving one more spot available if it chooses to fill it in. It certainly doesn't have to, but there are players worth looking at to add some further lineup flexibility in case of an injury emergency.

Arguably the top player available on the market is Markelle Fultz, the former No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NBA Draft. Since enduring injury struggles with the Philadelphia 76ers upon his arrival, he's had a productive five seasons with the Orlando Magic.

It's never met the All-Star expectations that were attached to the 26-year-old coming out of college, but he's a solid combo guard who has made strides as a playmaker and scorer inside the paint. Defensively, his six-foot-four frame also comes in handy against smaller opposing guards.

The glaring issue with Fultz is still his scoring from behind the arc. He's a complete non-factor anywhere near the 3-point line, and his jump shot in the mid-range is even somewhat questionable. It's probably the No. 1 reason why he's still in the free agent market, especially considering his young age.

The Thunder don't exactly need to add another guard — Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Cason Wallace, Isaiah Joe and more make up that position well enough — but in a low-maintenance role it could make sense for both sides. With how much spacing its offense possesses, Fultz's inefficiencies would become less of an issue and his strengths would be more apparent.

For championship contenders, having more talent than less is never a bad option. Fultz would probably receive spare minutes, but if Oklahoma City needed him to take on a bigger role, he's a player who has the talent to do that. It's done a good job of utilizing a deep pool of options before, and that probably isn't going to change.

Signing Fultz would likely take a higher salary compared to most other free agents, but the Thunder has the ability to make that happen if it wants. If it's going to bring a 15th man to the roster, it might as well make him the best option.

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