Getty Markelle Fultz
One of the most fascinating things about the blockbuster Jimmy Butler trade–besides, well, all of it–is how the addition of the contentious former Timberwolves player will affect the 76ers’ young and unique core. There has been an abundance of memes poking fun at how Butler, who is notorious for bullying young teammates, might potentially annoy Ben Simmons and straight-up break struggling 76ers guard Markelle Fultz for not being able to shoot the ball.
Fultz has caught attention this morning ahead of Butler’s Sixers debut for retweeting (and then un-retweeting) a tweet of his own from earlier this year. The tweet is from January 28th, and says “You really can’t trust NO ONE !!” It remains the pinned tweet on his Twitter page.
You really can’t trust NO ONE !!
Joel Embiid should be okay, and Ben Simmons is a pretty confident guy, but Fultz is going through something tough right now–it’s visible almost every single night. If he doesn’t snap out of it, and soon, he could be the biggest draft bust the league has ever seen.
He knows it, too. Which is probably why he’s been shooting free throws like this lately:
.@stephenasmith would trade last year’s No. 1 overall pick Markelle Fultz if he were the 76ers.
Part of the issue may be lingering pain from injuries. But most of it is probably mental. There’s a ton of pressure on the former No. 1 overall pick–a lot was expected of him as he entered the league and the young player seems close to a breaking point. His confidence is at an all-time low, and throwing Butler into the mix could spell doom for him.
Fultz Retweets an Loaded Statement
It probably doesn’t bode well that Fultz, who recently cut ties with the skills coach who is rumored to have ruined his shot, retweeted and retracted the loaded statement this morning.
The fact that the tweet is still the “pinned” tweet on his Twitter page, though, indicates that the young player is struggling with who to turn to at this tough moment in his life and career.
Could the Jimmy Butler situation knock him off the 76ers roster entirely at the moment he needs playing time the most? Or could he be still referring to his estranged skills coach and lost jump shot? It’s unclear, but I’m hoping (for his sake) that Fultz can snap out of the funk he’s in soon. That’s easier said than done, though.
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